


Isolated Above, Connected Below

by Arghenthia



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Abusive Parents, Blood/injury (nothing graphic), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Familial Relationships, M/M, More like Sense2 since its just Leo and Takumi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Revelation route - Freeform, Sense8 AU, Slow Burn, Spoilers from the Fates manga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-27 20:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13256232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arghenthia/pseuds/Arghenthia
Summary: Since the first time they meet, Leo and Takumi discover they share a special connection. Forced to deal with it, they end up realizing it might not be a completely bad thing as they thought.Leokumi Sense8 AU





	1. Ten years earlier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically the only sense8 thing that is present in the fic is the connection, but even that might be freeform in some aspects. The story starts as revelation but then it takes its own course. I still don't have all the details figured out lol 
> 
> In the first chapter, Leo and Takumi are both children. 
> 
> The title is of course a Sense8 reference.

Takumi had been running blindly through the corridors of the castle for what felt like hours before his legs eventually gave in and he collapsed on the floor, breathless. Through eyes made bleary by tears, he could make out a warm red carpet underneath him. It was soft under his palms and Takumi simply lied down, abandoning himself to his pain. His sobs echoed strangely in that corridor, unfamiliarly, but he couldn’t find the strength to care. He was sure he had never suffered so much in all his life, not even remotely. 

He was considering lying there for a while when he suddenly heard distant voices calling his name. He forced himself to get up and tottered for a few steps. That was when he noticed he didn’t recognize his surroundings. He stared astonishingly at the stone walls and at the foreign pictures and tapestries that adorned them. Everything was so different from what he was used to, and yet he knew he had never left Castle Shirasagi. 

As fear tightened his chest, the idea of heading back didn’t seem so bad. He looked behind him, where the corridor appeared to go on forever. Ahead of him, however, he could see a huge wooden door. Maybe there was someone that could help him behind that door, telling him where he was and how to go back to the castle. Still, he didn’t want to deal with what was coming, or better, with what had already happened but couldn’t be changed. It was the reason he had run away in the first place and still hadn’t tried to call for help. He was torn between the fear of being lost and not wanting to be found. 

He decided to go ahead, opened the door and peeked inside. He was greeted by rows and rows of shelves packed with books - a library. 

He quietly entered, closing the heavy door behind himself, then proceeded ahead. He wasn’t really sure whether he was looking for someone to talk to or for somewhere to hide. 

Just when he thought the room was endless like the corridor he had come from, he heard a faint noise echoing between the shelves. It sounded like someone crying and came from ahead, right in the direction he was headed to. Drying his own eyes, he followed the sobs until he found a boy, hiding between two tall piles of books. He was blond and probably around his age. He was seated on the ground, with his knees drawn to his chest, and was holding a thick, purple book that was too big for him. 

Takumi was sure he had never seen him before, and yet a strange feeling in his chest was trying to tell him the opposite.

“Hello,” he said, involuntarily startling the other boy.

He stared at him in disbelief, letting his brown eyes wander from his face, to his long hair, to his clothes and back. Takumi noticed in that moment that he was dressed very differently from him, with tight clothes he didn’t know the names of.

“Who are you? How did you find me?” the boy asked hesitantly.

He definitely wasn’t speaking hoshidian and yet, somehow, he understood him. “I heard you crying.”

The boy, as if suddenly realizing that fact, furiously rubbed his eyes. “I’m not crying,” he said.

“Yes, you are.”

He looked at him begrudgingly. “Well, then that makes two of us.”

Takumi flushed at being called out like that. “I have a pretty good reason for it!”

The other raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Takumi hesitated, falling silent for a long moment. Saying it out loud would have made it real and he was still hoping it was all a big mistake. He could have heard wrong and he actually did leave before the conversation he casually overheard was over. He clearly remembered his brother’s pained expression though, so something bad happened for sure. “My father was killed,” he said at last.

The boy’s eyes suddenly went wide in astonishment as he stared at him in silence. It was normal to be surprised after this sort of revelation, but he looked completely incredulous and Takumi felt a tingle of irritation. “What?” he snapped.

“My mother was killed today.”

They stared at each other, not knowing what to make of that coincidence. 

They, of course, couldn’t have known that it was exactly this common pain that drew them together at that time, so many years before they had the chance to meet for real. It was only a faint echo of the connection that already existed between them, latent and in waiting.

The boy was the first to look away. “I’m sorry for your father.”

Takumi nodded. “I’m sorry for your mother, too.”

“You shouldn’t be. She was an awful person and a horrible mother. I’m far better off without her.”

Takumi was taken aback by that comment. “Then, why are you crying?”

The boy held the book tighter. He was trembling and probably on the verge of crying again. “Because I wish it wasn’t like that! I wish I was sad because that would mean that I miss her, and I wish I had happy memories to cherish and to console me. Instead all I feel is relief.”

Takumi didn’t know how to respond to that, and so he didn’t. He thought about his own pain, at how the idea of never seeing his father again wrecked him. Would he have given up all his happy memories just to be free of the suffering that his loss inflicted on him? Takumi remembered all the times they had sparred together, all his encouragements and kind words, his deep voice and his just as deep laugh and even that time he and Sakura had stolen some sweets from the kitchen and he had let them keep them as long as they didn’t do it again. They were all insignificant things and yet the thought of losing them scared him. As much as they made him suffer, he decided he would never trade them for anything. 

That new perspective made him feel slightly better, but now he felt sorry for the boy because he was robbed of that consolation. There must have been something he could do to help him.

Takumi went to sit near the other boy who moved to make room for him, or maybe to keep him at a distance. “It’s impossible that you don’t have a single good memory of her. There must be something, however small. For example, my mother makes me this special soup when I am sick and caresses my hair until I fall asleep.”

“I never get sick.”

“Eh!? Never?”

The boy shook his head.

“Then, she surely must have kissed you goodnight every night.”

Again, he shook his head.

“That’s impossible! I thought every mother did that…”

“I told you, she was awful.”

“She must have given you something. A present?”

The boy stayed silent for a long moment, then let go of his hold on the big book to show it to him. “It’s not exactly a present, but it’s thanks to her that I have this.”

“I knew it!” exclaimed Takumi. “What is it about? Is it a story? I love stories.”

The boy smiled at him, amused. “No, silly. This is a tome, a magic book.”

Takumi had seen magic scrolls, but he had never heard of tomes. He stared at it, fascinated.

The boy put the book down on the floor between them and opened it. Its pages were filled to the brim with strange words and symbols. “Look,” he said, and then put his palms on the open pages.

The air around them vibrated with energy as the spell activated. Slowly, a small plant began to grow directly from the paper, until a blossom formed at the end. Takumi admired with wonder as it timidly opened, revealing a little flower with snow-white petals. 

“This is the best I can do, for now”, the boy said, almost shyly.

“It’s so beautiful! I didn't know this kind of magic even existed”.

The other’s eyes sparkled at the compliment and when he spoke, he did with pride. “Oh, this is a very special tome, one of a kind! And this is nothing. It can reach the essence of the earth itself and manipulate even gravity.”

“Really?! That’s so cool!”

They both seemed to have temporarily forgotten about their tragedies as they were too intent on appreciating that surprising little thing, as only children are able to do. 

Takumi thought that he surely wouldn't have minded if they became friends. He wondered what his family would have said on the matter. A prince of course couldn't just wander around and befriend the first kid he encountered. 

The boy was still smiling at him, content. “Anyway, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here before. What’s your name?”

“My name is…”

“Takumi,” said a familiar voice behind him.

Takumi turned around as Ryoma kneeled beside him, a sad smile on his face. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

So someone managed to find him at last. 

He felt a little bad knowing he had caused him trouble. “I’m sorry, big brother,” he said. 

Ryoma patted him affectionately on the head. “It’s ok, you were upset and it’s understandable. In any case, who were you talking to?”

It was a strange question, considering that Ryoma was facing the boy. Takumi turned back, but the boy was gone. 

He looked around and discovered with horror that he was no longer in the library, but in one of the closets where they kept brooms and other tools. Did he dream all that?

“There was a boy here, just a moment ago,” he said, confused.

Ryoma looked around the room as well. “There’s no one but you here, Takumi.”

“But I’m sure of it! He must have left while I wasn't looking.”

“There is only one door and I would have seen him if he had come that way.”

“But…” Takumi started, but he didn't really know how to finish the sentence. Every objection that came to his mind was absurd even to his own ears, but it had been too real to be just a product of his imagination!

Ryoma sighed. “Let’s just go back. We should all be together right now, as a family.”

Takumi let Ryoma pull him on his feet and followed him out of the room. He turned one last time to look behind with a strange feeling in his chest, as if he had just lost something important. It felt like he had suddenly discovered a new part of himself just to be separated from it a moment after, and now he could feel the empty space where that part had been.

Some days later, when everything calmed down and all the appropriate ceremonies had taken place, Takumi went back to the closet, but neither the boy nor the library were there for him. He cried, surrendering to the fact that it had been all a dream conceived by his mind to deal with his father’s death. He didn’t understand why he was so upset over something that had never been real.

With time, Takumi forgot about the boy in the library, but the empty feeling in his chest that their connection had left behind never faded completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> You can find me on twitter at @arghenthia


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If your otp hasn't tried to kill each other at least once then what's the point lmao

The few minutes that Takumi spent in waiting on that fateful day, were the longest of his life.

His heart felt heavy, his breath came out short as he listened to Ryoma and the Nohrian Crown Prince go back and forth in their attempts at bringing Corrin by their side. Then it was silence as all eyes went to Corrin, in uncertain anticipation. Two countries, two armies, two families, all waiting for a single person to make a decision: Nohr or Hoshido? It felt as if the destinies of those two kingdoms depended solely on Corrin’s next words. 

Takumi looked at his siblings. Ryoma was the nearest to Corrin, his hand extended for her to grab, mirroring the other Crown Prince who did the same from his high horse. The two looked at each other for a moment, a look full of distrust and rivalry, the embodiment of the sentiment of their nations. Sakura was right next to him, silently praying. Takumi wanted to tell her to take some steps back, in case the worst happened, but he couldn't force himself to speak. Breaking that silence, even by breathing too hard, felt like breaking a fragile equilibrium. Every little noise was amplified to his ears, like the sound of Hinoka’s naginata gently shaking in her trembling hand not far from him. It was the only sign that betrayed her agitation since her face was stern, ready.

Takumi gritted his teeth. He hadn’t trusted Corrin since the day she came back, he had even tried to convince the others to do the same, but in that moment he wanted nothing more than for her to return to them once more. He had never seen his family as happy as it had been since her reappearance and after what happened to their mother he couldn't bear the thought of them losing her too, again. He wished it for his siblings, so that no more pain was inflicted on Hoshido, so that Nohr was the one to lose something to them for once. Never in his life he had wanted to be proven wrong as much as he did in that moment. 

Takumi tried to be prepared for both eventualities, but neither of those ended up being what Corrin decided. No one could have ever expected the words that came out of her mouth. “I won’t betray any of my family. I’m sorry Xander, Ryoma, I can’t turn my back on either of you. Please, set your swords aside. I’m sure a peaceful solution exists!”

If he wasn't petrified by disbelief, Takumi would have burst out laughing at the absurdity of that nonsense. Hoshidians were leaving in peace until the Nohrians attacked them, and that was how it always had been throughout history. There was no possibility of a peaceful solution until Nohr existed. Asking them to put down their weapons with which they were defending their family and their land was ridiculous. Furthermore putting them, her real family, on the same level as that scum was simply unacceptable. 

Takumi wasn't surprised when both armies ended up declaring Corrin a traitor, but still Ryoma’s words hurt him deep. “Corrin... Even now, I still remember the agony I felt the day you were kidnapped” he stated. “I know we can't get back the time we lost, but I still hoped that someday we would be reunited as a family. I see now that I was living a fantasy.”

Takumi didn't remember a time in which they had been a close family after his father was killed and his sister kidnapped. They had tried but it had never been the same. Nothing could ever fix what had been broken that day and that was now apparent to everyone. He just wished that his siblings didn't let themselves be fooled so that he didn't have to see the heartbreak in their eyes. It made his blood boil with rage. 

Deemed an enemy from both kingdoms, Corrin had no choice but to turn into a dragon and flee, with Azura and another person that Takumi didn't know on her back. So Azura was going to indulge Corrin in this madness? In that case they had no choice but to make them share the same fate. 

The battle, briefly interrupted by Corrin’s intervention, was about to resume. Both families hurried back to their respective armies but, just as he was getting through the first line of soldiers, something in the corner of his eye caught Takumi’s attention. When he automatically turned to look, he immediately met the eyes of a blond young man who was looking in his direction with an unreadable expression. Takumi was sure he had never met him before, and yet his first thought was: have we seen each other somewhere?

It lasted only a mere second before they both turned around to disappear in their armies’ ranks. Takumi had barely looked at the Nohrians, both while in battle and in those long moments of waiting, so he had no idea who that person might have been. They all looked the same in their black armour and most of them were blond too. He shook his head before he could think about it more, why would it matter anyway?

He hurried to Ryoma’s side. “We need to chase them,” he said. “We can’t let the Nohrians capture them first.” 

“I agree,” Hinoka added. “Let me go. Even as a dragon she can’t be faster than my pegasus.”

Ryoma took just a moment to think, looking in the fugitives’ direction. “No, they’re fleeing towards the forest and the weather is getting worse. You’d lose them. She will have to get back to human form once in the forest so it’s better to chase them by foot. Takumi, take a few fast soldiers and go after her.”

Takumi nodded. “I’ll catch them.”

He called his retainers and told them to reunite the fastest soldiers in in their group. 

Ryoma placed a hand on his shoulder. “Be careful,” he said, “the Nohrians will also send someone after them.”

“I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.” 

Ryoma nodded and then left to pose himself at the head of the army. 

Sakura tugged on his sleeve just as he was ready to leave. He turned to face her.

“You will bring her home alive, right? I’m sure this is all just a big misunderstanding.”

Takumi felt his anger cool down a little at her innocent words. “I’ll try. But if they oppose me I have to do what is necessary for Hoshido” he said, trying to sound reasonable. Sakura was too kind for her own good sometimes and that only brought her more pain then necessary. He wished he could do something to alleviate that pain but he couldn't, not that time. The only thing he could do was not giving her false hopes. 

Sakura nodded and stepped back, understanding that was the best she could ask of him. Takumi then set off, running towards the forest and entering in the spot where they saw Corrin disappear.

Takumi wished he was as sure of succeeding as he had showed just a moment ago, but reality was there were so many things that could have gone wrong. For starters, they absolutely had to reach them before the worsening rain erased their tracks and the dusk fall made it impossible to continue the pursue. Lucky for them, it didn't seem like they were trying to cover the signs of their passage or trying to make them deviate on a false trail. It looked like they were just trying to get as far away from the battlefield as possible and that resulted in a straight and clear path, easy to follow for trained eyes. As they proceeded, Takumi felt that they were drawing closer. 

But the tracks were not their only problem as Takumi was expecting to make an encounter with the Nohrians at every step. It was reasonable to think that they were far behind them since Corrin had fled in the forest behind the Hoshidian army. The Nohrians would have had to take the long way around the battle or find a way to pass through and that hopefully would have taken some time, maybe enough for them to lose the tracks to the rain. They had an advantage but Takumi didn't want to lower his guard in case they had some dirty trick in their sleeve or simply managed to catch up with them.

It was when they were deep in the forest and the noises of the battle had disappeared that they clearly heard them approaching, the stomping of their horses surpassing the sound of the rain falling. 

“Prince Takumi, what do we do?” asked Hinata, panting from the chase. “They will be onto us in no time!”

“Let us deal with them,” suggested Oboro. “We’ll reach you as soon as we’re done with that filth.”

Takumi pondered on the possibilities. If they stopped to fight there was the risk of losing Corrin and Azura, but if he went alone he could get lost, unable to reunite with his group. There was no way to tell how many the Nohrians were either, they could have been too many for Oboro and Hinata to handle on their own, and going ahead he would have had to fight Corrin alone, not an easy fight. 

Takumi shook his head. The most important thing was to catch the traitors. If he failed the mission, he would have always been the one that didn't manage to get their sister home in his siblings’ eyes and that he couldn't bear. He needed to concentrate on one thing at the time: he could think of how to defeat Corrin when the moment came.

“Alright,” he said to Oboro. “I’ll try to leave a clear track for you to follow. Don’t get killed.”

They both smiled at him as they nodded, stopping their run along with the rest of the soldiers. They lined up, ready to receive the enemies. 

Takumi was already ahead when the two groups clashed. He tried not to think about it. Hinata and Oboro were both skilled fighters, there was no need for him to worry about them. 

The tiredness from the battle and the chase was starting to get to him, but he knew he was very close now and he was determined to see this through the end. He proceeded alone for several minutes until he found himself in a small clearing. He was about to cross to the other side when the stomping of a horse made him hurry to hide behind a tree. One of the nohrians must have escaped the group he had left to stop them and kept following the tracks, maybe even Takumi’s own tracks. He peeked from his hideout to see what was coming and he immediately recognized the knight as soon as he emerged from the trees: it was the same Nohrian that he had met eyes with on the battlefield, on a big warhorse. In the shadow of the forest, the green light of the spell that he held on his hand shone bright, lighting his delicate features and reflecting on his armour, wet with rain. 

Damn, Takumi thought. An ordinary soldier wouldn't have been a problem but a mage... Magic was mostly unknown to Takumi and that meant the possibility of a hard fight when he didn't have time to lose. 

The knight stopped his horse not far from where Takumi was hiding, examining his spell with a critical eye. Suddenly, he turned in his exact direction. “I know you’re there, show yourself.”

Takumi inhaled sharply. It was impossible that he had noticed him from where he was so he must have found him with that spell. Takumi wasn't sure of it, but most times when it came to Nohrians it was always magic’s fault. 

He didn't have much of a choice but to fight now. He summoned Fujin’s bowstring and an arrow and with one swift movement he emerged from the tree and shoot, aiming at the Nohrian’s head.

The knight’s eyes widened in surprise but his reaction was instantaneous: he made one gesture with his hand and the arrow disintegrated against his spell. Takumi had never seen a mage conjuring a spell so fast.

“You,” the Nohrian said, recognizing him. “Get out of my way Hoshidian Prince. I don’t have time to lose with you.”

He sounded annoyed, as if he was nothing more than a nuisance.

“If you know who I am then you know I can’t do that. I suggest you take your own advice, Nohrian.”

The knight stared at him with a mocking half-smile. “Do I have to take it that you don’t even know who I am? Engaging in a war without even knowing your opponents… Hoshidians are not really commendable enemies after all.”

“I don’t need to know your name to turn your head into a bull’s-eye, scum,” Takumi snarled. Whoever that Nohrian was, he was going to make him pay for those words. Such raw arrogance… Takumi despised him with every fibre of his body.

The Nohrian was about to reply but then the spell he was still holding suddenly flashed. He immediately turned his head towards the clearing and Takumi, instinctively, did the same.

Three people were running in the distance, one of them had unmistakably long, blue hair.  
“I don’t have time for this” the Nohrian said, more to himself than Takumi, then he simply spurred his horse and passed him, galloping across the clearing. 

“Stop!” Takumi screamed, cursing his luck. He could not let that Nohrian catch Corrin before he did. 

He quickly formed three arrows and shot them in sequence, but the knight reflected them all with his magic. 

“You asked for it,” he said then, resolving to summon Fujin’s wind. 

The trees began to shook violently as the wind whirled around Takumi, taking away the raindrops until it wasn't raining any more where he was standing. The arrow he shot got blocked again, but the Nohrian couldn't help but be hit by the violent wind. His horse reared up, scared, throwing the Nohrian off its back and running away in the forest. 

The Nohrian was fast enough to cushion his fall with his magic and was immediately on his feet. The wind had snatched the headband out of his hair and now the bangs laid messy on his forehead. The look in his eyes was one of pure rage.

Takumi didn't leave him time to recover and kept shooting as he approached , pressing him in hope to breach his defences. 

With his heavy armour, the Nohrian sank in the mud at every step. His movements were slow and awkward while Takumi moved swiftly thanks to the power of the Fujin Yumi. The Nohrian was forced to keep blocking Takumi’s attacks, unable to counter without exposing himself. 

Confident in his own advantage and with the desire to put an end to the fight quickly to resume the chase, Takumi charged to take the other off-guard. 

It was a mistake.

Takumi suddenly lost contact with the ground, finding himself suspended mid-air. He had let go of his bow out of surprise and now it was floating not far from him, as were all the raindrops caught in the spell. Takumi would have surely found it a fascinating phenomenon if he wasn't too busy panicking. He had been ready to dodge an eventual attack from the Nohrian, but this? He had never seen a magic like this before and had no idea of how to escape. He couldn't even take his bow back, no matter how much he tried to get close to it or stretched his arm. 

The Nohrian was grinning at him, cruelly. “This is what happens to the fools who dare to oppose Prince Leo of Nohr. Remember my name while you drown in darkness.”

Takumi had barely the time to absorb that information that the other smashed him against the ground with a wave of his hand, so hard he lost consciousness for a long moment. 

In the slumber that followed a voice reached him. “Oh, this is a very special tome, one of a kind! It can reach the essence of Earth itself and manipulate even gravity.”

What was that? A dream? A memory? Yes, someone had said that to him once, but who? When?

He woke up coughing blood and mud, thinking he was done for, but the final blow never came. Prince Leo had had all the time to finish him, but for some reason he hadn’t. When he looked up and found him he was on his knees, holding his chest and panting as if he was in pain.

Takumi didn't hesitate, forcing himself to stand. He was pretty sure some of his ribs were bent or broken, but the adrenaline and the need to survive suppressed most of the pain he felt. He picked up the Fujin that lied a few feet away and shot as best as he could with his injuries. The arrow came out weaker than usual and his aim was off, but this time he hit the target: it pierced through the Nohrian’s shoulder, sending him on his back on the ground. 

Takumi screamed and fell on his knees as an intense pain suddenly hit his own shoulder. He panicked for a moment, frantically looking around for someone who might have shot him, but there was no one. When he looked for the wound he couldn't find one either, there wasn't even blood. His shoulder was unharmed and yet the pain was intense, burning and extremely real, as if the arrow had pierced him and not his enemy. Was this some sort of spell?

He looked at Prince Leo, who was trying to reach for his book, one hand gripping his shoulder. There was no way Takumi could shoot in his condition, so he used all his energies to throw himself on the Nohrian, making them both fall on the ground. Prince Leo struggled weakly underneath him, but in the end Takumi prevailed. 

In that moment, all of Takumi’s anger, frustration, tiredness and fear for that unknown situation hit him like a ton of bricks. He felt his eyes water and his body tremble as he raised a fist to hit the other before he even realized it, as if it was all Prince Leo’s fault. In a certain way, it was: he was Nohrian, everything bad had always happened because of Nohrians. Furthermore that Nohrian in particular, that arrogant, presumptuous, insufferable Nohrian, had been a brother to Corrin when Takumi was supposed to in his stead. It was unreasonable but it felt as of he had robbed him of something important. It was because he and his family grew up with Corrin that she turned her back on Hoshido. It was because she loved them that she made his siblings suffer. It was all their fault. 

Takumi punched him as if it meant punching them all, but it only felt like punching himself. 

He was sure of it now, they had to be somehow linked. 

He grabbed the Prince by the collar. “What did you do to me, scum?” he growled.

A purple bruise was forming on the blonde’s pale cheek and a trickle of blood ran down his chin. Maybe he had hit harder than he thought. “I didn't do anything,” he replied weakly.

“Liar,” Takumi said, ready to strike again even if it meant hurting himself too.

“Why would I want this? I was about to kill you before when the pain stopped me. I have no reason to want this,” he offered. His eyes were half lidded, his voice barely audible over the rain. He was bleeding profusely from the wound and probably on the verge of passing out.

Takumi was also unbearably tired, with only his determination to keep him going. 

What the Nohrian had said made sense, but it didn't matter anyway. “I’m sure killing you will most likely solve the problem.”

As he was saying this, there was a rustle behind him. He turned around sharply only to be hit hard on his forehead. His eyes only managed to catch a glimpse of a man with white hair before everything went dark and he lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> You can find me on twitter at @arghenthia


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!  
> So first of all I wanted to mention I added some tags since I figured out more things about the story. Be sure to check them out in case something is not at your tastes.  
> I also decided this fic is going to have actual plot so things are going to happen aside from Leo and Takumi's relationship, even if that's of course still the main focus. In particular I want to include their relationships with their siblings and other characters (you can already have a taste of this in this chapter).  
> Lastly I wanted to say most of the details about world building and magic (for example how the astral plane works) are completely made up because fates is very scarce in this regard and I needed to fill the void lol

Takumi didn’t know for how long he remained unconscious, but when he woke up it was nearly dark. He opened his eyes slowly, the faint memory of a dream about a library, that had seemed very real until a moment before, still in his mind.

The pain of his injuries reminded him of the battle with prince Leo. Now that he wasn’t fighting any more and the effect of the adrenaline had worn off, he could clearly feel every inch of his body hurt. He moved, or tried to, only to realize he couldn’t: he was tied up to a tree and gagged, helpless.

That discovery slapped him out of his slumber like ice-cold water. He struggled weakly, but every effort proved useless. The rope constricted him in a painful way, making it hard to just breath. He looked around, panting, and spotted the Fujin Yumi laying on the ground, far out of his reach. He couldn’t have used it in that state anyway, even if it were beside him, so he didn’t linger on it. Some steps away from him there was a horse tied to a trunk, peacefully grazing at the grass, and when Takumi looked to his right he found Prince Leo. He was leaned against a tree, unconscious. He wasn’t wearing the upper part of his armour anymore and Takumi could see the red-stained bandages that covered his shoulder where the wound had been tended to. His chest slowly rose and fell, evenly. 

“You’re awake.”

Takumi immediately turned towards the voice. It belonged to a tall, white-haired man that he didn’t recognize, but was most likely the one who he had just got a glimpse of when he was assaulted. He had a smile on his face, one that Takumi didn’t like in the slightest. 

The man was guiding a horse by the reins, Prince Leo’s horse Takumi realized. The animal looked restless, unceasingly pulling back and snorting as if it had no intention to obey to the man. In the end, he managed to tie him to the tree with the other horse. “Damn beast,” the man growled in a low voice, then he turned his back to the horse to face Takumi. He walked to him and, almost casually, he raised a foot to press on his chest, exactly where he was hurt.

Takumi squirmed and moaned in pain. His sight grew foggy and he felt on the verge of passing out again. Just as everything was darkening, the man removed his foot. He realized too late that there were tears running down his cheeks. How humiliating.

The man lowered himself to his level to take a better look at him. “Oh… That pain in your eyes is a delight to see. Delicious.” 

What was wrong with this guy? Takumi pressed himself harder against the tree in a futile attempt at getting further away from him. The man’s feral expression was terrifying. 

“You see, you have been unlucky” the man continued. “I would have killed you without hesitation for what you did to my liege if you weren’t who you are, prince, but you’re definitely more valuable to him alive, either for information or to blackmail your family.”

The man grabbed Takumi's chin to prevent him from turning away. "If anything I know a man who will pay a good price for your pretty face."

That was probably the worst Nohrian he could ever encounter. It also looked like the man was having a lot of fun scaring him to death, so Takumi tried to pull himself together to rob him of the satisfaction. He thought he managed to muster a fierce expression, but his body was trembling weakly, betraying him. He had no idea if it was really because of fear or more because of pain and exhaustion. 

Takumi didn't know if the threats were genuine or just the man’s way to pass the time, but the situation was all but good for him nonetheless. He had to find a way out of this before they took him away as an actual prisoner. The shame of having failed the mission already burned, he couldn't bear to also be a burden for Ryoma as an hostage. Moreover, he had knowledge of a lot of sensitive information that he couldn't risk revealing in case they decided to torture him. He had to flee or die trying.

A soft sound came from Takumi’s right. With the corner of his eye, he saw Prince Leo blinking slowly as he woke up. The white-haired man immediately lost interest in him and went by his lord’s side, holding him steady with a hand on his good shoulder. “Milord?” he called. 

“Niles,” the prince answered weakly. “What…”

“How are you feeling, milord?”

Takumi couldn't believe his eyes. The man, Niles, looked like a completely different person now that he was talking to his prince. His voice was almost soft and face furrowed with concern. He almost thought he must have imagined all the harsh threats he had received just a moment before.

“I’ll survive,” Prince Leo said, bringing a hand to his ribs, where he was probably feeling Takumi’s injuries. Takumi’s shoulder hurt too now that the other was awake, sending him jolts of pain at every movement of the Nohrian.

“Does your chest hurt, milord? I didn't find any injury before.”

Prince Leo shook his head. “I’m fine,” he said, then looked in Takumi’s direction and their eyes met. A sharp expression found his way to his face as he spoke. “If you didn't injure my arm so I would gladly return the favour and punch that arrogant face of yours.”

Maybe it was the harsh tone he had used or maybe the different situation they were in, but Takumi’s mind choose that moment to realize that the other was speaking Nohrian, that he always had been. How was it even possible that he understood his words? To what extent did the link they shared go?

“I can punch him for you,” offered Niles.

“No, don't hurt him any more than he already is. More importantly, did you find Brynhildr?”

Niles nodded and handled him a big purple book, one that looked oddly familiar to the Hoshidian. Even if it must have fallen in the mud in their fight, it looked polished as if he had never been taken to battle. Takumi guessed tomes had to be resistant to damage to some extent or they could never be used as weapons. “I also found Nighty in the forest,” Niles continued. “He was rebellious as usual but I managed to bring him back and he looks unharmed.”

Prince Leo glared at him. “You’re calling him Nighty too now, great.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, milord. Princess Elise always calls him like that and I must have picked it up.”

The mage laid the book on his legs, flicking through the pages with his good arm. “Everyone calls him like that by now. It’s all Elise’s fault because she never liked the name I gave him. What is wrong with Nightbringer?”

That was the most ridiculous name Takumi had ever heard. He would have laughed if the urge to escape and the pain didn't prevent him to focus on anything else, let alone fun. 

“Absolutely nothing, milord. Odin loves it,” Niles said instead. 

“I also would really like to know what you did to him to make him hate you so.”

“I wish I knew, milord. To his defence, most animals seem to dislike me for some reason,” Niles replied, a bit embarrassed.

Prince Leo found the page he was looking for and closed his eyes to focus. His lips moved slightly, murmuring something Takumi didn't understand, then the same spell he had seen when they met each other before shone again on his hand. In the scarce evening light, the green shimmer was brighter than ever and It hurt Takumi’s eyes. 

The Nohrian shook his head, closing his palm to extinguish the light. “I can’t feel their presence any more, they must be too far ahead already.”

“I could try following their tracks.”

Prince Leo shook his head again. “It’s useless. The rain most likely erased the tracks and I don't want you to stray further into Hoshidian territory anyway. We already went too far from the troops. Moreover, I can’t fight with this injury and Corrin is still a dangerous opponent.”

“An opponent who doesn't want to kill you is not really that dangerous.”

Prince Leo paused for a moment. “She didn't want to kill us back there, who knows what she will do if forced. I thought I knew her, I was sure she would return to us, and look what she did. I think right now no one can predict what she will do.”

Niles nodded. “I’ll do as you command.”

The mage passed a hand thought his hair, messy and dirty with mud from the fight. “We need to get back to the others. What was the situation back where we met the Hoshidians? Where is Odin?”

“The fight was still on the last time I saw Odin. I was worried about you going ahead on your own so I decided to follow you and left them behind.”

“You disobeyed my orders, but I’m glad you did. Thank you, Niles. I just hope Odin is alright.”

Niles smiled and bowed his head. “Odin is the best mage I know after you, Milord. I’m sure he’s waiting for us to get back to pester us with how heroic he had been.”

Prince Leo’s lips curled in a small smile. “You’re probably right.”

Takumi thought about Hinata and Oboro, hoping the Nohrians were wrong and they prevailed instead. 

“What do we do with him?”

The nohrian prince looked at Takumi, who reciprocated the stare. “He comes with us,” he decided.

Takumi knew this was going to happen, but still felt himself sink when he realized the time for him to think of a way out of this was up and he didn't have any effective solution. As Niles came toward him to untie him from the tree, he prepared himself to fight with every ounce of strength he had left. This was his last chance, however unlikely to succeed.

Suddenly a strong light came from Takumi’s left, making him turn his head to shield his eyes.

Niles immediately moved in front of his prince, an arrow already notched in his bow, ready to fire. Prince Leo awkwardly pulled himself to his feet, helping himself with the tree. 

In front of Takumi’s incredulous eyes, a sort of rift appeared not far from them. 

“A warp spell?” asked Niles.

“Not exactly. It looks like some kind of portal. Be ready.”

After a long moment two figures emerged from the rift, their shapes dark in front of the bright light. When the portal closed and Takumi’s eyes got used to the darkness again he recognized them: Corrin and Azura. Takumi inhaled sharply while Prince Leo’s eyes widened in surprise. 

They looked dishevelled and tired, but their gazes were determined and firm. As they were all still looking at them astonished, Corrin took one step ahead. Niles immediately tensed his bow, but Corrin had no intention of getting close to them. Instead, she walked until she was in front of Takumi, followed by Azura. They turned their back on him, facing the Nohrians. Were they… defending him?

After the initial surprise, Prince Leo’s expression had turned neutral. He studied them for a long moment before talking, his voice stern. “Sister, how nice of you to save me the trouble to keep looking for you.” He said. There was a pause, then he continued. “Quite an impressive magic you have there, no wonder my tracking spell wasn't working any more. It’s really remarkable how much power you’ve gained in just the span of a few weeks. You almost don’t look like the same person.”

“I assure you I’m still the same Corrin you know, I’m still the sister you all know.”

“Is that so? Then come home with me. Xander will forgive you if you come back now and I will talk to father on your behalf. We can fix everything, just end this nonsense.”

Takumi cursed his own helplessness, struggling again against the ropes. He wanted to say his part in this, trying to convince Corrin to choose Hoshido instead, but no one was even paying attention to him.

“I’m sorry, Leo, but I made my choice. I won’t fight any of my families.”

“How can you call them your family when you’ve known them for less than a month!” A note of irritation had found its way in the prince’s voice. “We spent our whole lives with you, we grew up together. Does that mean nothing?”

Time that was stolen from us, Takumi thought angrily.

“That’s not it!” Corrin replied, bringing a hand to her chest. “You, Xander, Camilla and Elise… I love all of you dearly even if you’re not my real family, that hasn't changed. But even if I spent only a short period in Hoshido, the memories I made there, the love that they showed me, they’re important to me. I won’t betray them. There has to be another way!”

Prince Leo stared at her for a long moment. “You are nothing but a child,” he said then, “a naïve child who has no idea of how the world works. At this point I am just surprised there are people who choose to indulge you.”

The prince glared at Azura, who had been silent throughout the conversation. “I didn't think a peace between Nohr and Hoshido was possible either but Corrin changed my mind. I chose to believe in her.”

Corrin smiled at the girl, then turned towards Prince Leo again. “If attacking innocent people like King Garon does it’s how the world works then I don't want to understand it. I decided to follow my own path, one that can be fair for everyone.”

Takumi couldn't help but agree with the Nohrian this time. All that Corrin and Azura were saying was idealistic nonsense. The world was a cruel place, there was no such thing as fair.

“This is war, Corrin, there has never been anything fair about war,” Prince Leo said, echoing his thoughts. “But I see that talking to you is useless. You are lucky that I’m too injured to confront you, but you won’t be next time we fight.”

Takumi couldn't see Corrin’s face, but he knew she had a sad smile on her lips. “I never wanted to fight you, brother, and I hope I will never have to.”

Niles helped Prince Leo on his horse and then mounted on his own horse. The prince turned around one last time to look at Takumi, with eyes that said “this isn’t over”. Good, Takumi thought, because it wasn't over for him either. 

Corrin was still smiling when she turned towards Takumi. As the Nohrians left, she kneeled in front of him and raised her hand slowly, showing him that she just wanted to remove the gag. Takumi let her and then moved his jaw, sore from being constricted.

“Promise you’re not going to attack us if I untie you?” she asked.

Takumi highly doubted he could have even if he had wanted to so he simply nodded. Every breath was agony with those ropes around his body and even after they were removed it still only felt slightly better. Takumi tried to keep a straight face as he refused Corrin’s help and painfully got up, gripping the tree truck he had been previously tied up to. He wasn't sure he could take a step without falling. “I hope you don't expect me to thank you,” he said.

“I don't, I know it’s my fault that this happened to you. I would have intervened earlier but I didn't know it was you and Leo who were fighting. I only saw you had been captured when Lilith brought us to the Astral Plane and we checked if you were still following us. I didn't want you to hurt each other further so I asked Lilith to bring us back.”

Lilith? Astral plane? Nothing of that made sense to Takumi but it didn't really matter, only one thing did. “Are you going to come back with me? Ryoma will be kind to you if you do.”

“I can’t, just as I couldn't go back with Leo.”

Takumi wasn't really expecting any different. “Then we have nothing to talk about. Go back to wherever you came from.”

“I won’t leave you here, Takumi. Come with us, Jakob can heal your wounds and…”

“Who the hell is Jakob?”

Corrin hesitated. “He was one of my servants when I was prisoner in Nohr.”

“A Nohrian? Forget it. I don't need your help nor a Nohrian’s. That prince and his retainer already did enough.”

Takumi tentatively took a step away from Corrin, but his knees didn't sustain him. Corrin was immediately there to support him. He hated it but he didn't have the strength to push her away.

“You can’t even stand! Please, Takumi.”

Takumi gritted his teeth. It was dark and he had no idea where he was and also needed healing. Thinking his team would find him before he froze, got eaten by an animal or died because of the injuries was way too optimistic since he didn't even know if they were still alive. And yet he couldn't accept help from a traitor either…

“I know what you’re thinking. I promise you won’t be a prisoner while you’re with us. I just want to help you.”

There was a rustle as Azura approached them. She had her usual cold and distant gaze that Takumi associated her with. “What do you want now?” he said.

She took a long breath, as if she was still unsure whether to talk or not, then kneeled beside them in the wet grass. “What if told you that a great danger is upon Hoshido, one that if not stopped will bring ruin to the entire world?”

Takumi stared at her. What was that all of a sudden? He looked at Corrin but she seemed just as confused as he was. “What danger?” he asked. 

“I can’t talk about it here, but if you come with us I’ll take you to a place where I can explain everything.”

“Yeah, right,” Takumi replied, sceptic. 

“I know we were never close, Takumi, but you must know by now that I’m no liar. We could have let Leo take you as a prisoner, but we came back for you and we’re also offering you help. If that is not worth your trust, than I don't really know what is. If you won’t accept our help out for your own benefit nor your country’s, then at least do it for our siblings. Ryoma, Hinoka and Sakura wouldn't want you to die here because of your pride.”

Takumi looked away. The truth was that he didn't have much of a choice anyway. “At one condition,” he said.

Azura nodded for him to continue.

“After you tell me whatever you have to tell me, you’ll take me back to Hoshido, whether or not I decide to believe in it or not. In exchange, I promise I won’t betray your trust.”

Azura looked at Corrin, who nodded with a smile. “You have our word.”

He tried to protest when they both helped him stand and walk, but they insisted and he let them. Azura had picked up the Fujin Yumi from the ground and was holding it in her free hand. It looked dirty but undamaged to Takumi’s relief.

The prince didn't know that to expect when they passed through the portal, but surely wasn't expecting an actual castle. “What is this place?”

“Lilith called it the Astral Plane. It’s some sort of parallel dimension. I don’t really get the details but we’re safe here,” Corrin said.

As Takumi looked at the portal closing behind them, he found himself already regretting his decision. He probably had no way of escaping from that place and no one could ever find him either. He really hoped Corrin and Azura kept their word because he was basically trapped there now.

“Who is Lilith? Another servant?” he asked.

“Well… Kind of. She was one until I fell into the Bottomless Canyon and she came to save me. Since then she…”

Corrin was interrupted by a strange voice. “Then I had to leave my human form but I am still your Servant, Lady Corrin.”

Takumi was startled by the new appearance. “What…?”

“I’m a dragon,” said the creature. 

Great, there is two of them now, Takumi thought, even if Lilith didn't look like Corrin’s dragon form in the slightest. 

“Take him to my temple, I can accelerate his healing.”

“Thank you, Lilith,” Corrin said. “This way.”

They took him to a little building with a shrine inside. Near the shrine there was a man with white hair, probably Jakob.

“Milady,” the man greeted. “Lilith told me to prepare a bed here so I did my best with blankets and pillows.”

“Good job, Jakob.”

Takumi didn't care if it wasn't a real bed, in that moment he would have collapsed even on a porcupine if it meant laying down. Those hurriedly arranged pillows and blankets felt like the softest of beds when they helped him lay there. 

The exhaustion hit him hard as soon as his head touched the pillows and in no time he fell into a deep sleep, as the others were still talking around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Xander voice: Justice... is a lie
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> You can find me on twitter at @arghenthia


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad pineapple is sad

It took several days for Takumi to recover from his injuries, even with the help of Lilith’s and Jakob’s healing magic. 

He had very faint memories of the days he spent inside the temple. Lilith’s magic seemed to have some sort of soporific effect to calm the pain, so he had almost always been asleep. He didn't even realize that someone washed away the blood and dirt from his skin and hair until it was already done and he found himself wrapped in new clothes, nohrian clothes. The thought still embarrassed him and he was glad no one ever brought it up. 

After five days, when he had been well enough to walk, even if with some help, he had been moved to one of the seemingly infinite rooms of the castle. Lilith needed to rest after using so much of her powers on him, Corrin told him, almost apologetically. 

Takumi immediately found himself missing the dragon’s influence. It was not because of the pain, since he was used to being injured, but because he really couldn’t remember a time in which he had slept so well. He could rarely sleep for a whole night, always waking up because of some nightmare or unable to sleep entirely because his thoughts kept him awake. He wished that peace could have lasted a little longer, at least until he was completely healed and able to keep himself occupied with tasks or training. Having to lay on his bed all day, alone with his demons, was torture. In the end, he had to let go of his pride and ask Corrin if there was a library in the castle. 

She was more than happy that he finally gave her an opportunity to help him, after she had been asking if there was something she could do for days. She came back with an exaggerated pile of books in her arms, that she laid on the bedside-table. “I didn’t know you liked to read,” she said, then she appeared on the verge of adding something, but then then decided against it. “I realized I didn’t ask what you liked so I decided to pick some books from every section. I also am not good in reading Hoshidian yet so I’m not sure what most of these are about, but I hope there is something at your tastes,” she concluded instead with a smile. 

He thanked her, glad to have something to read whatever it may be. He wondered if he would have been able to read a book written in Nohrian now, just as he was able to understand it when he had heard it spoken. 

He had been thinking a lot about what happened in the forest, about Prince Leo and the weird link they shared. 

He could still feel his shoulder ache, progressively less as the other’s wound healed, but there were also new sensations other than pain now. Sometimes he would feel angry, sad or annoyed for no reason, completely out of the blue. One day, he saw a tear falling on the pages of the book he was reading and realized he had begun to cry. 

Takumi had thought that being apart would have lessened the connection, but it looked like it was only getting stronger as time passed. Not even being in another world seemed to affect it. To what extent was this going to evolve? What if suddenly they began to share thoughts or something of the sort? The idea was terrifying.

And then, there was that one feeling that had never abandoned him since the first time their eyes had met on that battlefield.   
I’ve seen him before.

Takumi was beginning to remember when that might have happened. He had forgotten for the longest time about that dream he had when his father died, but it had been coming back to him slowly, in pieces, since he had met Prince Leo. It probably had never been a dream in the first place, just as he had thought at the time. 

The memory wasn’t that vivid to make him sure that the child he had met was the Nohrian, but the recent events made it a very likely possibility. He also remembered the purple book the boy showed him, the mention of controlling gravity, both things that he could associated to Prince Leo. 

No matter how much thought he put into this, he couldn’t answer the only question that really bothered him: why did this happen to them? 

The rational part of his mind told him this wasn’t the Nohrian’s fault, but at the same time he couldn’t find someone else to blame and that resulted in nothing but frustration. Takumi wished he could just go outside and shoot arrows at a target of even a tree, releasing at least some of his worries along with the bowstring. 

When he wasn’t thinking about Prince Leo, he was thinking about his family, of how worried they must have been seeing him not coming back, and that was even worse. He wished there was some way of contacting them but there was none, so he couldn’t do anything about that either. Even more frustrating. 

Luckily, Corrin always came to have dinner with him after she and Azura came back to the Astral Plane, probably in an attempt to fraternize with him. Takumi acted like he was annoyed, but in fact he was glad he had another distraction in those monotonous days. 

He wished he had something to complain about, but he had been treated as a guest and with all the regards, just as Corrin had promised. Yes, Jakob’s attitude was questionable, but he surely was better that Azama, who had been treating him when he had been injured previously. Moreover, the food he cooked was delicious, even if a little too savoury than what he was used to. He even cut it for him so he could use chopsticks, while Corrin ate with knife and fork as it was more comfortable for her. 

“We’re almost at the Bottomless Canyon,” Corrin told him one day. 

Takumi had learned a few days prior that that was their destination. He hadn’t questioned it, knowing not even Corrin knew what Azura had on her mind. 

It had already been twenty days since Takumi arrived in the castle, but Corrin explained that time flew differently in the Astral Plane and that they have been travelling approximately for half of that time. Takumi wasn’t sure he understood it completely, but apparently that dimension was linked to Corrin somehow so, when she exited to travel, the plane moved with her. As a result, Takumi had been travelling too, together with the castle. It was an amazing resource and the uses they could have made of it during the war were infinite, too bad this kind of power was in the hands of a force external to Hoshido.

“Azura has been very distant in the last few days. I wish I knew what troubles her but she still isn’t telling me anything,” Corrin continued. 

“She has always been like that,” he answered.

Takumi had almost never seen the songstress since that day in the forest, but this fact didn’t surprise him. They barely ever saw each other even back in Castle Shirasagi, save for sharing meals with everyone.

“Corrin…” Takumi began, hesitating. There was something he had wanted to ask for a long time and knowing they were almost at their destination hurried him to speak. 

“Yes?”

“Would you talk to me about the Nohrians?” he asked. In reality, he just wanted to know about Prince Leo, hoping that knowing him better would make him understand something more about their connection. He didn’t want to sound too obvious though so he had decided to ask about all of them. After all, any information could prove useful.

“You mean my siblings from Nohr?”

Takumi didn’t like that definition. “The royals,” he said instead.

Corrin regarded him with a teasing smile. “I would never have expected you to be interested.”

“Just answer my question!” he replied, blushing.

Corrin played with a strand of her hair as she thought. “It’s a hard question to make all of a sudden. Where should I begin… Well, Xander is the oldest. He’s severe and can appear very harsh at times but it’s just his way to show that he cares about all of us. He has a gentler side that rarely comes out. He’s also the one who taught me how to use a sword.”

Takumi thought about the blond man who had faced Ryoma on the battlefield. He remembered his stern tone and expression, not different from his brother’s. Takumi knew Ryoma also had a gentler side, but he had seen it very seldom after his father died and, in any case, never directed to him. 

“Camilla is very affectionate and loving. She made me feel safe, as if nothing bad could have happened to me while she was beside me. She can always say the right thing to make you feel better when you’re sad and you can talk to her about anything.”

Takumi remained silent, marvelling at how much love transpired from her words. It made him angry but at the same time confused. How could she not choose them if that’s how she felt? Maybe Corrin had been sincere all along when she said she loved both families. 

“Elise is… Elise is like a ray of sunshine in a dark day. Every time she came to visit she brought along so much happiness. It’s also impossible to say no to her.”

Corrin giggled, probably at a memory brought back by that thought, but when she looked back at him her smile faded. “ Are you alright?” she asked. “You look upset. Did I say something wrong?”

Takumi shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s just that from how you talk it seems you were very happy with them.”

“I was, but I was happy while I was in Hoshido too.”

That was because her return had revived their bond, bringing them together once more. Takumi couldn’t really say he had been close to his siblings since his father’s death shattered their family. Sometimes he felt like they barely knew each other. They certainly didn’t know him, otherwise they’d at least notice the struggle he was going though. Or maybe they just didn’t care.

“Go on,” he said, before his thought could get the better of him. He already regretted asking but the part he was really interested in had not come yet.

“Well, then there’s Leo,” Corrin continued, her eyes veiling with sadness. “I really can’t reconcile the Leo I met in that forest with the one I remember. The Leo I know is kind and curious, even clumsy at times. I wonder what happened to him to make him so disillusioned and cynical.”

Kind? That was really the last word Takumi would use to describe Prince Leo of Nohr.

“I know you don’t believe me, but I can assure you I’m telling the truth. I think that was just a side of him I’ve never witnessed before and I can’t help to wonder what convinced him there was no hope to change things.” 

Takumi had no idea, he just knew what brought him to believe Prince Leo was right. Corrin, who lived all her life shielded away in a fortress, never really had the chance to see how bleak the world really was. Hoping was easy for her.

“After meeting King Garon, after having to submit to his cruelty, I began to imagine how hard it must have been for all of them to live under his command. There are so many things I don’t know about my own family, about the lives they conducted in Castle Krakenburg. Things they kept hidden from me, to protect me maybe. It never occurred to me before and, now that I know, it hurts.”

Takumi didn’t know what to say so he remained silent. He had never been good at consoling people.

“You remind me of Leo sometimes,” Corrin said after a while. 

“What?” Takumi exclaimed, taken aback at her sudden words.

Corrin giggled again, the sadness disappearing from her face. “ Oh, come on, don’t make that face. I just think you are both strong, smart and kind. You also both like books apparently. It’s almost impossible to catch Leo without a book. I think you’d be good friends.”

Takumi looked away, embarrassed by the compliments and those insinuations. “ I could never be friends with that arrogant sorry excuse of a prince.”

Corrin raised her palms. “My, my! I didn’t think you’d get worked up over this. But I do think what I said and I’m not taking it back.”

“Even that I’m kind?” Takumi muttered before he could stop himself.

“Of course.”

“Why would you say that?”

She looked at him questioningly. 

“I have never been kind to you. Never, since the first time we met,” he continued. “I treated you with distrust and even spoke against you to my siblings. In fact I still have no idea why you would want to help me.”

Corrin smiled at him. “I don’t hold any grudge against you because I know the way you behaved came from fear of the harm I could cause our family and to Hoshido. You were right too: even if indirectly, I did cause harm to a lot of innocent people and even to mother.” She closed her eyes for a moment as those painful memories resurfaced. “Even if not to me, I saw you being kind to others: your siblings, your friends, the hoshidian people who you had to talk to… I think you’re kind to the people you care about and all I can hope for is that I can become one of those people one day.” 

Takumi stared at her for a long moment, trying to make sense of what those words made him feel. 

He was really beginning to think he had been wrong all along about Corrin and the more time he spent with her, the more that thought bugged him. He didn’t know what to do with that realization. A part of him wished she had been mean so that it could be easy for him to keep his resolve, but for the most part he really wanted to give in and believe.

***

By the time they reached the Bottomless Canyon, Takumi’s wounds were mostly healed and he had even started to train again. Having the Fujin Yumi in his hands again felt good after that long period of forced rest, especially when he passed the rift again, finding himself in unknown territory.

“So, we’re here,” Takumi said, looking at Azura.

“We’re not at our destination yet. First, we need jump into the canyon,” she said, as if she was asking him to pass her the salt.

“What?!” Takumi blurted. “You can’t be serious.”

Azura looked at him, calm. “I’m perfectly serious.”

“But if we jump we’ll die,” said Jakob, as if it was something that needed saying. 

Azura’s lips curled into a small smile. “Don’t worry, you won’t die. The canyon is just a passage, a portal just like the one we traverse to go to the Astral Plane. I’ll go first then you can follow.”

“Are you sure about this, Azura?” asked Corrin, still hesitant. 

“Yes. I would never do anything to bring you harm.” She looked at Takumi again. “If I wanted to kill you I could have let you die in the forest, don’t you think?”

“Still…”

Azura didn’t wait for him to finish the sentence. She walked on the wooden bridge that crossed the canyon, climbed over the ridge and let herself fall into the void. 

The others let out a sound of surprise.

“She… she really did it,” whispered Takumi. 

“She didn’t even hesitate…” added Corrin. 

A long moment passed, then Corrin began walking towards the bridge. 

“Wait!” Takumi called. “You’re going to jump too?”

Corrin looked at him, then at the dark void ahead. “I trust Azura, she would never hurt us. Besides, I need to know what this threat to the whole world she talked about is. Didn’t you come for this too?”

Corrin was right, but Takumi hadn’t known he would have had to jump in a damn canyon when he accepted to go with them. He watched as Corrin stood on the bridge for a long moment and then let herself fall.

“If Milady is going I have no choice,” Jakob said, more to himself, before he jumped too.

Alone on the bridge suspended on the canyon now, Takumi looked at the deep darkness, feeling his balance grow weak. He wasn’t scared of heights more than any person, but that fall would have terrified simply anyone. 

He took a deep breath and prepared himself. At least if he was going to die he wouldn’t have to explain to Ryoma why he spent a whole month fraternizing with the enemy.

The fall lasted only a handful of seconds. Before he realized it, Takumi found himself on solid ground. He looked around, astonished by the foreign view. 

They were on an endless field of grass, with rock formations scattered here and there. Some of them were floating in the air, some even upside-down or sideways. Remains of ancient buildings were everywhere. 

Corrin offered him a hand and this time he accepted it, letting her draw him on his feet.

“See? I told you you’d be alright,” Azura smiled.

“What is this place?” he asked.

Azura’s smile immediately disappeared. “This is the Kingdom of Valla and it’s the force responsible for the war between Nohr and Hoshido.”

“Responsible? How?” asked Corrin.

“Not here. If we stay out in the open we’ll be spotted. Follow me.”

Takumi automatically brought the Fujin Yumi in position when he heard that, ready to fire at any moment. As Azura led them to a cave nearby, he kept looking at the rocks, behind which enemies could be hiding. It was really not an ideal place to be ambushed. 

“We should be safe here,” Azura said, once inside, then she resumed her story.

Takumi listened in silence as the girl told them about that once florid realm, completely destroyed by an evil entity called Anankos. 

“So you’re saying that if we don’t stop this Anankos, Nohr and Hoshido will become like this place?” he said when the tale ended. 

Azura nodded with a sad expression.

“Then why didn’t you say anything before?!” he exclaimed. Then, remembering they were in enemy territory, he forced his voice down. “We could have done something if we knew. We have to get back and tell the others…”

“We can’t,” Azura interrupted coldly. “A curse was cast on this place. If you talk about Valla outside of its borders you’ll vanish. That’s… That’s what happened to my mother after she told me all of this.”

Takumi lowered his gaze. “Then what can we do?”

Corrin fidgeted on the spot. “If we could reunite Nohr and Hoshido surely we could face this threat, but how can we achieve that without explaining…” 

“We have to convince them to trust us, that is the only way. This is were you come in, Takumi. This is why I immediately took the opportunity to take you here, so you could see the truth with your own eyes. If our siblings see that you trust us, they’ll be more inclined to believe in us too.”

Takumi stared at Azura. She had a point. “I can see that, but I doubt the Nohrians will listen still.”

Azura nodded. “I put a lot of thought into this problem while we travelled here and I have a plan for that. Well… it’s not exactly a plan but a way to have the truth reach their eyes if we can convince them to look at it.”

“That’s better than nothing,” Corrin nodded. 

Azura’s lips curled in a little smile. “Yes. I will explain my plan to you and then we’ll leave. We can’t risk staying here for too long.” Her determined eyes looked at the three of them. “This is what we’ll do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading <3
> 
> Next chapter will be from Leo's POV eheh
> 
> Twitter: @arghenthia


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *BANGS DOOR OPEN* IM ALIVE LOL  
> Sorry for the delay but this chapter is very long and it took me a while to complete it! I hope that makes up for the wait tho ;v;
> 
> I'd like to add that I've taken (and probably will take some more in the future) some scenes from the Fates manga so beware if you don't want to get spoiled.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

After refusing to be carried with the other wounded in the carriages following the army, Leo had been riding beside Xander at the head of the long column of soldiers. With his injured arm tied to his neck, hurting at every step Nightbringer took, he tried his best to hide his anguish, not always succeeding in it.

With nothing to occupy himself with, his mind was inevitably drawn to brooding, and even looking at the landscape wasn’t helpful. In fact, travelling back to Nohr after witnessing the splendour of the Hoshidian land was not helping lift Leo’s morale at all. 

Leo watched the florid forests, the endless cultivated camps and the green meadows slowly fade into the arid, dark kingdom he called home, and felt that he couldn't entirely blame Corrin for not wanting to come back with them. As much as the thought pained him, there was really nothing worthy of admiration in Nohr, nor anything worth staying for. 

Even worse than the dreary scenario, that wouldn’t have bothered him in normal circumstances, was crossing the small villages that stood at the edges of the main road. They were all the same, all filled with scrawny people who looked at them in silence with a mixture of hatred and fear in their eyes. Leo knew how much this war was weighting on the shoulders of the already starved population, and in those moments, he couldn’t help but question his father’s rule and his obsession with conquering Hoshido. He had learned very early in life that dwelling on such thoughts was useless and that the only way to survive was to simply obey, as expected of him, but he couldn’t see Corrin doing the same, especially when presented a choice. 

There were times in which he had also wished he had a choice.

They were crossing one of the villages when a man approached him, begging him to use his magic to heal their dying crops. Ignoring his pleads made his heart heavy. He was not the first one to make such a request, but Leo didn’t know how to explain to the people that he had no such power. He could breath life into their plants, but unless he kept them alive with his magic, they would soon start wither again because the barren soil could not sustain their growth. In moments like that, he wished he could also run away.

Leo looked at his brother, trying to guess what he was thinking, but Xander’s face was unreadable. He knew better than to think he wasn't affected by all that happened, but Leo still wished he could find some comfort in the people closer to him instead of silence and distance, to know he wasn't alone in this. He hadn’t spoken much with any of his siblings since he had returned. A part of him felt that they accused him of failing in bringing Corrin back, but his rational side knew it wasn't true. They were all still shaken and still needed to process the recent turn of events, just like him. 

After leaving Corrin and Prince Takumi behind, Leo hadn’t been able to ride for long. 

He had felt Niles’ burning gaze on the back of his head the whole time, as he was holding back his fourth “are you sure you can ride on your own?”

Leo had replied dryly that of course he could, but reality was that he felt extremely weak after the fight and the blood loss and that the pain in his chest was unbearable. Leo had kept repeating to himself that it wasn't real, that it wasn't his, but sometimes he felt like he couldn't breathe. He didn't even realize he was falling from his horse, he just woke up some time later, laid against Niles’ chest as they rode together. 

“You’re always so stubborn,” Niles had said when he had felt him moving. 

Leo hadn’t replied, too weak to even open his mouth. He had noticed with relief that the pain in his chest was no longer present. Maybe Prince Takumi had died, or Corrin had taken him through that portal, in any case he was thankful. He needed to think, to find an explanation for what had just happened, but with the tiredness and the pulsing pain of his other injury all he could think was: “She came to save him as I was taking him prisoner, but she didn't come for me when I was about to die.”

He must have fallen asleep at some point, waking up only hours later in one of the beds in the infirmary. Niles had already reported to his siblings about what had happened, and he didn't have much to add except his apologies for his failure.

They had departed from Hoshido the next morning, with the ghosts of loss and sorrow following their ranks.

Odin, thankfully alive although a bit battered from the fight, had been the only one truly happy to see Leo and Niles come back, even if he was bummed that they went ahead without him and that they missed his heroic performance against the Hoshidians. After hearing the story at least five times since then, Leo felt like he had been there.

Odin and Niles had taken turns in trying to lift his spirit since then, Odin with his enthusiasm and Niles with his usual nonsense, but nothing had worked for long. Nothing could really help Leo forget, as they closed in on Windmire, that they had to face King Garon soon. 

***

They went straight to the throne room as soon as they arrived.

As Leo had expected, King Garon immediately declared that Corrin had to be considered an enemy and was to be killed on spot if they found her. Since discussing with his father was useless, Leo decided to ask instead: “Why weren’t we told Corrin is a princess of Hoshido, father?”

King Garon smiled, in the way he did when he was going to give you an unsatisfying answer. “I thought it unnecessary. But moving forward,” he continued immediately as if Leo’s question didn't matter at all, “I decided to give command of the soldiers in Hoshidian territory to Iago since I can’t be sure of where your loyalty lies.”

At that, Xander gasped, almost standing from his kneeled position. “But without royal support…”

King Garon didn't let him finish. His voice thundered in the big room, making all of them jolt. “Now that you retreated I can no longer reach Castle Shirasagi and you have the nerve to speak! I am extremely disappointed in you, Xander.”

Leo could see on Xander’s face the effect of those words. For a moment, before he recomposed himself, he looked like he had been stabbed. 

Xander bowed his head and apologized, but still hesitantly asked the questions Leo also wanted to know the answers to. 

King Garon denied any involvement in the incident that caused the death of queen Mikoto, although Leo highly doubted he didn't know the sword he gave to Corrin had that kind of destructive power. Leo had felt it himself coming from the weapon when it had been given to her. Leo wouldn't have been surprised to know such a dirty strategy had been used to break the barrier that protected Hoshido, it wouldn't have been the first time, but why lie to them about it? 

He was still pondering it when Xander asked about the girl who accompanied Corrin, Azura. King Garon’s reaction was worrisome to say the least. For a moment he remained completely still, a hand covering his face, murmuring Azura’s name. Then suddenly he whispered the word “kill” with a terrible expression in his eyes that sent chills down Leo’s spine. 

Xander, shook by that sight as much as him, said that maybe it was best to call a doctor, his voice uncertain. He’s afraid? Leo thought, unbelieving. 

They were unceremoniously cast out of the room, where they found Elise waiting for them. Of course she had been eavesdropping the whole time. “What happened? Is father alright?” she asked, but none of them replied. 

Silence hang heavy between them for several long moments, until Leo spoke. “Did you know that Corrin wasn't our sister?” he asked to Xander, containing the tremor in his voice. 

Xander didn't answer, but it was as if he had. 

“Why didn't you say anything? There might have been something we could have done!”

“Stop it, Leo,” came Camilla’s voice from behind him. “We can’t be fighting each other at a time like this.”

As he turned around to look at her, he realized she was crying. He bit his lip.

“Don’t cry, big sis. We won’t fight any more,” said Elise, who looked on the verge of tears herself.

There was another long pause. This time, it was Elise to break it. “I wonder if now that father doesn't want big sister to come home it means we’re not family any more…”

Leo took a step towards Elise, scared by that thought. He had been very harsh with Corrin the last time they saw each other, but those were words dictated by rage and exhaustion, he didn't want to think she was no longer his sister, not in his heart at least. “Of course we’re still family. Even if she can’t come back here, we can take her to a safe place the next time we meet. We will still be able to visit her and you can play with her just as you did before. I’ll take care of it.”

Elise’s face lit up at those words and even Camilla’s lips curled in a small smile. 

“Shut up,” came Xander’s voice, stern. “I don’t want to hear you speak like that ever again.”

“Then are you planning to face Corrin on the battlefield and kill her as father said?”

Xander didn't answer and Leo clutched his fists. His brother never had anything to say at his replies, he never let him see what he was really thinking. He watched as Xander walked away from them, probably to close himself in his study with his pain and his thoughts. Was he really so hard to trust?

When he turned back to his sisters, the relief was gone from their faces. Elise was crying in Camilla’s chest while the older was trying to make her to calm down, even if she was still crying herself. 

Camilla extended a hand for him to grab and he slowly took it, letting her embrace him too. 

At least we’ve still got each other, Leo thought as he tried to swallow the tears that threatened to escape his eyes. 

***

Since King Garon took away from them the control of the army and since he needed time for his injuries to heal, there wasn't much Leo could do aside from spending his days in the library. Anything was preferable to remaining idle, so Leo busied himself with the other urgent problem at hand. 

After the first days of peace, the pain in his chest had returned, along with other unpleasant feelings and sensations. His already compromised mental state was not helped at all by all that mix of emotions he was receiving from the outside and knowing he was working to do something about it was making him feel a tiny bit better.

Differently from Takumi, Leo had never forgotten about that vision he had had when he was little. It was not because he was attached to it by some weird sentiment, but because of the habit he had always had to write down, in a sort of diary, anything he couldn't understand or that needed further research. That vision had been sitting there, unsolved, for all those years, as other entries were added to the list and then stroke out when he had been satisfied. 

Even as a child, Leo had known enough about magic to know that it hadn’t been a dream or a trick of his mind, but he hadn’t known enough to solve the mystery. He had tried, as his old notes testified - some of them made him laugh at how ridiculous they were - but he had to give up and save it for a later date. Maybe the time had finally come.

He was prone to believe that the boy had been Prince Takumi, both for his appearance and the Hoshidian clothing he had worn. He had done an ugly drawing at the time on the side of the notes too, but the written description was much more useful given his poor drawing skills.

There was also the fact that the time coincided roughly with the death of King Sumeragi, but that could all be a coincidence. 

Reality was that his actual memories of it were faint, even if they were weirdly coming back to him little by little in those days, and he could just be projecting what he thought was the truth onto the real facts. The only way to be completely sure was to directly confront Prince Takumi on it, but that was highly unlikely to happen soon.

Leo knew that that vision was not the key to understand what was happening, but it was a starting point, something that could tell him that the connection wasn't recent for example, or that maybe it wasn't even born from a spell. He desperately needed more elements to narrow the possibilities and that was the only one he could think of.

Since searching the entire library alone was unthinkable, he told Odin and Niles about the situation so they could help him. 

“So, you and that prince are mind-connected if I get that right,” Niles had said, then he had grinned knowingly at him. “Are you sure you want to break this bond? I can think of at least five fun ways to use it.”

“What are you saying Niles!” Odin had intervened before Leo could reply. “This is clearly an enemy subterfuge to steal information from Lord Leo! We must make haste and free him from this curse.”

Leo had rolled his eyes at both of them. “Just get to work you two. We must find out what this is at least.”

But several days of intense research on all the types of magical connections, spy-spells and more still didn't take them anywhere.

“Maybe we’re looking for the wrong thing, but I have no idea what else to look for,” Leo said to no one in particular as Niles, who was the one who always had to remind him to eat and drink when he was too immersed in his studies, handed him a cup of tea.

It was in that moment that the door opened and Elise’s head peeked inside. She quickly closed the door behind her and proceeded towards him with caution, in a way totally not befitting of her. Her face was although lit up with something akin to hope or relief as she stood in front of the desk where he sat, with two piles of books at his sides. 

Leo had not seen any of his siblings in days, as they all were busy processing their pain alone. Him and Xander were keeping themselves occupied, while Camilla had locked herself in her rooms in search of solitude and didn't want to see anyone but her retainers. He didn't know what Elise had been up to. but he suspected he was about to find out. 

“Do you need something, Elise?” he asked, taking a sip from the cup without raising his eyes from the pages he was reading.

“First you need to promise you won’t get angry with me.”

Leo sighed, then closed the book he was examining and laid his back against the chair, already not liking the premise. “What did you do this time?”

“Promise first!”

“Alright, alright. I promise,” he complied, as he already did countless times before when Elise had come to him to confess some disaster she had caused.

Elise looked at Niles and Odin, who immediately went back at reading their books to dissimulate their interest. 

“You know you can trust them,” said Leo.

Elise then handed him two pieces of paper. They were curled, as if they had been folded for a long time. Leo opened the first one, that read as following: “Dearest Elise, I hope this message finds you well. I’m so sorry for leaving as I did, but I believe the only way to end this pointless war is through peace. I wish to meet you and explain my reasons to you in person. Attach your reply to the crow’s leg, if you find it in yourself to forgive your sister. Still yours, Corrin.”

Leo stared at her, incredulous. “You received a crow from Corrin?” he whispered, since the walls of the castle had ears. “When was this?”

“Last week,” Elise said, then nodded to the second piece of paper. “I replied that I wanted to meet her and she sent me instructions but…”

“But?”

“I don't know how to get there, I don't even know where the place she mentioned is.”

Everything immediately became clear to Leo. “And you want me to take you there. The answer is no.”

“Come on, Leo! Don't you want to know why she’s doing this? Don’t you want to know that there is an explanation for everything and that she still loves us?”

“I already talked to her and I assure you, you can’t convince her to change her mind. Maybe this is a trap and they want to capture you.”

“Corrin would never do this to me!”

“How can you be sure it was Corrin to send that crow?” 

Elise dug in one of the pockets of her dress to take out a strand of white hair. “This came with the first message.”

Leo had to admit that looked like Corrin’s hair. But why would Corrin write to Elise and not Camilla or Xander who actually had power to take action? Was it possible that her aim was to spread discord among them? No, Corrin would never act so subtle.

“Please, Leo. I just want to talk to big sis again. I thought that you would have been on my side since you spoke in her favour the other day. You said you wanted to keep her safe, that’s why I came to you.”

Leo tried not to look at Elise’s pleading face as he opened the second piece of paper. He knew that place, warping them there would have been a piece of cake for him.

“She wants us to meet her in her camp, the whole army is going to be there...” he started, then it hit him. 

A few days prior that vermin, Zola, had come back to the castle to report his defeat in Izumo. Before Leo’s father had him executed, he said the two youngest royals of Hoshido had joined Corrin in her quest. That meant Prince Takumi was going to be there too. 

Leo looked at the two piles of books that didn't give him any answer. How many chances there would have been for him to talk to Prince Takumi that didn't involve meeting on a battlefield? Could he really pass up this opportunity?

“Fine” said Elise interrupting his thoughts. “If you’re not coming then I’m going on my own. I’m sure I’ll find someone who will give me instructions on the way and with Effie and Arthur to protect me I’ll be fine.”

“Wait!” exclaimed Leo, who had no doubts that Elise was perfectly serious in that intention. “Alright, I’ll come, but you have to promise you’ll follow my lead while we’re away.”

Elise’s bright smile made him feel a little less like he had just took a terrible decision. “Yay! You’re the best, big brother. Just don’t tell Xander I said that.” 

Leo couldn't help but smile back as he thought “what mess did I find myself into this time…”

***

Leo had known from the start that it was a bad idea, but as they emerged from the warp spell to find themselves in enemy territory, that feeling only intensified. 

They rode slowly, hiding in the trees that flanked the road. That would have been useful to not be immediately spotted by the enemy, if only Elise hadn’t been chatting loudly with Odin since they had departed. Odin could talk for hours about his dark soul, his dark adventures, his dark spells and his dark everything else if someone played along, and it looked like Elise was having a lot of fun listening to him. She didn't care in any of that was true or completely made up and that made Odin exaggerate his tales even more, if that was even possible. 

Leo fidgeted on the saddle, nervous. Niles gave him a look but remained silent. He had already expressed his opinion that same day Elise came to talk to him in the library. Leo had of course agreed with him that the risks greatly surpassed the opportunities, but still he knew Elise was going to go anyway and it was better for him to accompany her in any case.

Leo spurred his horse, surpassing Effie and Arthur that proceeded silently, and flanked Elise and Odin, urging them to be quiet.

“You’re no fun, Leo! Odin was telling me about that time he travelled back in time to save his mother and it was super interesting,” Elise pouted.

Leo had heard that story so many times he could have told it himself. As if something so absurd as time travel could exist. 

“They know they are coming anyway so what’s the point in being silent?”

He ignored her comment and tried for the last time to dissuade her. “It’s not too late to turn back. You know as well as I do that this is pointless. Corrin made her choice and, when you’ll talk to her, she’ll just reaffirm what you already know. This will just hurt you more.”

And could get us both killed if father ever finds out, he thought to himself.

“You’re wrong, Leo. As soon as I tell her how sad we all are without her, how we all miss her, she’ll change her mind. You know I can be very convincing if I want to.”

Leo knew exactly how convincing she could be, otherwise he wouldn't have been there, riding towards the enemy with no intention of battling them. He sighed as his last attempt failed miserably. 

In truth, he was more worried about the Hoshidians and seeing Corrin again than about their little travel being discovered, because he had planned their escape thoroughly while the immediate future was hard to foresee.

Leo and Elise had to wait for Xander to leave the castle, because he was the only one who could have sought Leo out for advice since his father or Iago never did. The occasion didn't make itself wait: some days later Xander and his retainers left for Cyrkensia, which was said to be the Hoshidian’s army next target. Camilla had been sent to meet with the Ice Tribe so hopefully no one would have noticed their one-day absence.

The forest they were crossing suddenly became too thick for horses and they had to move on the road. Not much time passed that a dozen archers came out of the bushes, aiming their arrows at them. Leading them was exactly the person Leo had hoped to meet. 

Prince Takumi was aiming his arrow directly at his head, his eyes filled with distrust. He didn't seem happy to see him, even if they had sent a letter saying he was coming along too so his presence wasn't a surprise.

Leo met his gaze with a fierce expression from the back of his horse.

“Get down from your horses and hand us your weapons,” Prince Takumi ordered in his own language, as if the Nohrians were supposed to understand it. Among their group, Leo was the only one who did.

He answered in Nohrian. “We both agreed to not harm each other during this meeting and we have all the intentions to respect that. I don't find it fair that you are armed while we get to be completely defenceless, especially since this is how you greet us. We are keeping our weapons.”

He deduced that only the prince spoke his language because he was the only one to react to his words. “This is our camp, you’ll do what you are told.”

“Exactly, we are at your camp, with your whole army in it, and we are six. Are you really so afraid of us that you need our weapons? Or are you Hoshidians all cowards?”

Elise gasped behind him. She couldn't understand that this was personal for them, another duel just like the one they fought in the forest, but with a different weapon. 

Leo felt the Hoshidian’s rage burn in his own chest. “I see that the lesson I gave you last time didn't serve its purpose. I should have punched you harder.”

Leo was tempted to touch his cheek, still feeling Prince Takumi’s fist hit it with all his remaining forces. The bruise had been ugly and had took several days to heal, but it was gone now, like all his other injuries. “Just let us pass, so we can end this as soon as possible and go back at killing each other as always.” He accompanied those words with a poisonous smile that gave away his irritation, although the other was probably already feeling it. 

Prince Takumi remained silent for a long moment, thinking. “Fine,” he said at last, lowering his bow. “Everyone can keep their weapons except you. I saw what that tome can do and, no matter what you say, I won’t allow you in with it.”

That was reasonable. Even in a camp full of enemies, he could have caused some serious damage with Brynhildr’s magic. He could have tried to kill Corrin for example, something that Leo thought himself capable of before getting killed himself. The thought had crossed his mind, although he had never had any intention of going through with it. And yet, even if it was reasonable, giving away a treasure like Brynhildr was inconceivable.

“Come on, Leo. I don’t know what he said but just do it! I want to go see Corrin,” said Elise.

“I promise I’ll take care of your weapon as if it was my Fujin Yumi,” said Prince Takumi. “You’ll have it back when you leave, on my honour as a Prince.”

He’s sincere, Leo thought, not really knowing where that certainty came from. He just knew.

He dismounted, signalling the others to do the same. Two soldiers, a woman with a spear and a man with a sword, moved forward to take their horses. 

Leo unlaced the strings that tied Brynhildr to his side and handed the book to Prince Takumi, quickly, before he changed his mind. After a quick look around, seeing everyone was busy or out of ear reach, he took the chance to whisper a couple of words to the other prince: “We need to talk.”

Prince Takumi didn't reply, but Leo knew he understood. 

***

Elise ran straight into Corrin’s arms as soon as she saw her, half laughing and half crying in happiness. “I missed you so much, big sis! So, so much.”

“I missed you too, Elise,” answered Corrin, hugging her tightly.

Leo kept himself at a distance, not knowing exactly how to act now that the moment had come. 

“I’m glad to see you again, Leo,” Corrin said when Elise eventually let her go.

Leo looked at the portal they just crossed, at the castle they found themselves in, at the people at work, anywhere but at Corrin. He told himself he was going to gather as much information as he could on their enemy’s forces, but he just really didn't want to face her disarming, selfless honesty. “I’m just here to make sure Elise doesn't get hurt.” 

“Sure,” Corrin said, with a sad note in her voice. “Come, we’ve prepared tea and sweets for you. I taught them how to make those cream pastries you love, Elise.”

Elise, already tasting the sweets on her tongue, looked happier than ever. She gladly followed Corrin to a corner of the garden where there was a table set for three. A white-haired butler, Jakob if he remembered correctly, was pouring tea in the cups.

Leo knew it was useless to tell Elise not to accept anything they were offering, so he resolved to hope they weren’t poisoned or anything. He didn't think Corrin was going to harm them, but he didn't trust the Hoshidians to be just as accepting. 

It just didn't feel right for Leo to sit and have tea with Corrin as if nothing had happened, so he refused the offering. He doubted she had something new to say to him other than what he had already heard anyway. He sat on the small wall that contoured the garden, where he could have a good view of Elise. Odin and Niles stayed with him, looking around for signs of danger, while Effie and Arthur followed their liege. 

Leo felt miserable looking at his two sisters talking as if everything was alright. A part of him wanted to be just as quick to forgive as Elise, but he just couldn't, not yet anyway. Even if Corrin’s reasons were valid, it was hard to get over her betrayal and the pain she caused to him and his family. 

“Milord,” Niles called, nodding in the direction of three people who were walking towards them. 

Prince Takumi and the other two, who Leo assumed were his retainers, stopped at several steps from them, looking as if they were arguing about something. 

Prince Takumi handed his bow to the woman with the spear, who reluctantly took it and then looked at Leo with the most menacingly gaze he had ever seen. She didn't take it off him for one second after Prince Takumi left them behind to proceed alone for the last steps that separated them.

“Leave us,” Leo told to Niles and Odin, who moved out of ear range. 

Prince Takumi leaned against the small wall beside him, crossing his arms. “It got worse,” he said right out.

Leo nodded. “I made some research, but I still don’t know what it might be.”

The other gave him a look.

“I hope you don't still think this is my doing.”

“I don't, not really. But aren’t you a great mage or something? How hard could it be for you to break this curse.”

Leo sighed. “I can’t break it if I don't know what it is. You should help me look for clues instead of complaining.”

“But I don't know anything about magic… I don’t know how I could be of help.”

“Maybe it’s not even magic. You Hoshidians call everything magic without understanding that not every supernatural phenomenon comes from a spell. Just look for any book about mind-connections or spiritual bonds or anything adjacent. I trust you can read at least.”

Prince Takumi was about to reply when they saw Jakob walking towards them. “Milady Corrin wants to know if everything is fine here. You look like you’re about to jump at each other’s throats,” he said.

“Everything is fine,” they replied at the same time, one in Hoshidian and the other in Nohrian. 

Jakob raised an eyebrow. “Just don’t do anything that would sadden Milady Corrin,” he said sceptically before leaving again. 

“Look, as much a we clearly despise each other, we need to cooperate to get out of this situation,” said Prince Takumi once the butler was far enough from them. “I’ll try to look for answers too, hoping it doesn't get even worse in the meantime.”

Leo nodded. “There is another thing. This might sound weird but… When I was a kid, while I was hiding in the castle’s library I met an Hoshidian boy. I have good reasons to believe it was you.”

Prince Takumi closed his eyes and sighed. “So it wasn’t a dream after all.”

“You thought it had been just a dream?”

“I… Well… I didn't know what else it could have been. I even forgot about it entirely until…”

“Until we met again.”

Prince Takumi grimaced. “What a cheesy way to put it.”

Leo ignored him. “It seems this connection has existed for a very long time, if not always. It just awakened completely the day we fought.”

“Why did this happen to us?” asked the other, to no one in particular.

“I don't know but there must be a reason. We need to…”

But he didn’t finish the sentence because he noticed someone walking towards them with the corner of his eye. The girl with blue hair, his brother called her Azura, walked barefoot on the grass. She looked so light and gracious it almost seemed as if she was levitating. She was holding a wooden box in her hands.

“Hello, Leo. I’m Azura, daughter of Queen Arete of Nohr. I believe you might not remember me.”

“I don’t remember you, but I heard about you from my brother.”

Azura smiled at him. “I see… You were very little when the Hoshidians took me after all, I would have been surprised if you did.” She made a pause. “Unfortunately, my years in Nohr were a very unhappy period of my life, but I remember clearly that among the ones who tormented me, there were others who showed me kindness. Xander, Camilla and even you, Leo, even if you don't remember it. More than once I ended up in the library while I tried to escape from people who wished me harm and more than once you helped me hide. I still look back at those small moments of kindness with gratitude.”

Leo looked away, embarrassed by that sudden praise. “I’m sorry, I can’t say I remember… I tried to forget the more I could of those years,” he said, forgetting for a moment that Prince Takumi was right next to him. “Why are you telling me all this anyway?”

“Because I want you to know that what Corrin and I are trying to do is for the benefit of Nohr too. All we wish is to save everyone from the menace that is lurking in the shadows, making us fight each other.”

Leo stared at her. “What in the world are you talking about?”

Azura closed her eyes in a pained expression. “I can’t tell you the details, not here, not now.”

“I hope you don’t expect me to believe you on your word.”

“Of course not,” she said, and then opened the small wooden box.

Inside there was a round crystal, of a kind Leo had never seen before. The light shone on the surface, painting it of many different colours. Leo stared at it, trying to hide his fascination. 

“This crystal is a memento from my mother. It has the power to show the truth to the person who activates it. Only a person with strong dragon blood like Corrin or an incredibly gifted mage like you could use it. Ask it the truth about King Garon and you’ll know what’s really happening. Who, using him as a puppet, is orchestrating the destruction of the entire human race.”

“My father is been manipulated?”

“I’m sure you noticed how much he has changed from back when we were children.”

Leo bit his lip. He couldn't deny that, but he had always thought that the cause of it had been the Queens’ deaths. They said his father had loved Queen Katerina, Xander’s mother, very deeply, and that only falling in love with Queen Arete had the power of healing his heart. After the second queen’s disappearance though… That was when all the bloodshed began.

“You don't have to promise anything, just take the crystal and think about what I told you.”

Leo looked at Prince Takumi, who had been silent throughout the conversation. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”

The Hoshidian nodded. “I didn't want to believe it either at first, but Azura is telling the truth. I wouldn't be here with them if I wasn't sure they have Hoshido’s interests at heart.”

Leo had pondered on why a person so harsh in his judgements as Prince Takumi would betray his country to side with Corrin. Maybe they were really sincere and, in this case, he could not overlook the possibility of danger. He wasn't sure about what Azura had said about King Garon, or maybe he just didn't want to believe it, but if someone else was trying to destroy Nohr and Hoshido alike then…

He took the small box from Azura’s hands. “If you’re trying to deceive me and this crystal doesn't do what you said I’ll know it before I activate it.”

“In that case I’m sure you will, but that won’t happen.”

Leo looked at the shiny crystal for a long moment before closing the box. “I wonder… If giving me this was your plan all along, how did you know I would have followed Elise here?”

“We didn't. We planned to give it to Elise with a letter for you, but you made it all easier for us.”

“Good for you. I wouldn't trust Elise with anything this important. First she would have read the letter, then tried to use the crystal, then lost it on the way to Windmire.”

Azura smiled, amused, and Leo realized what he had said. Joking with the enemy… how could he have relaxed so much? He wasn't so naïve to believe all enemies were bad people, but they were still enemies. 

“Corrin was right,” said Azura suddenly.

“About what?”

“She said you can’t resist the chance to study a nice magic artefact.”

Leo looked away, flustered, and noticed that Elise and Corrin were walking towards them. Elise didn't seem less happy than she was at the beginning of the meeting and that worried Leo. “Are you satisfied now? Can we go?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I decided to say here with Corrin,” she announced merrily.

Leo almost dropped the box when he heard that. He looked at Corrin, who immediately raised her hands as if he was pointing a knife at her. “ I didn't do anything. She decided herself.”

Leo had no doubt about this. Elise never stopped a single moment to think before making decisions. 

“Are you alright, Leo? You look like you’re about to faint, you’re so pale,” said Elise, uncertain.

Leo forced a calm voice. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Elise nodded, the smile gone from her face. He dragged her away from the others after handing the box to Odin, who had come closer with Niles after seeing their lord’s distress. “Are you out of your mind?” he asked, angry.

“I’m not, I know what I’m doing!”

“You obviously don’t. If you betray Nohr you won’t be able to see any of us ever again. We’ll be enemies. Do you really want to fight me, Xander and Camilla?”

“We won’t have to fight if you side with Corrin too,” Elise said as if it was obvious. “Corrin told me about the crystal, she said it’ll make you understand. We won’t be enemies after that.”

“Did Corrin tell you what all this is about?”

“No, she said she can’t tell me here. But I don’t need to know, I’m sure big sis would never do anything to hurt us and I believe her.”

“If you don't know, then you can’t be sure that I’ll change my mind. If it turns out Corrin is right we can come back later, when I’ve had the chance to see…”

“No, I want to help Corrin…”

Leo was really getting tired of that argument. “You’re behaving like a child. You and her both.”

“That’s not true, it’s the opposite! You all keep treating me like one, just because I’m not always serious like you and because I am the younger one of the family. This is not a spur-of-the-moment thing, I’ve been thinking about it. I…”

Her shoulders began to tremble as she tried not to cry. “I know you, Xander and Camilla protected me all these years, I know I didn't have to go through all that you had to endure, but even so our home has always looked so grim to me. You think I’m always cheerful because I’m a child that doesn't want to grow up, but what I’ve always wanted was to make everyone happy. I want Nohr to be at peace so we can all be together again and that’s why I want to help Corrin. Don’t you want that too, Leo?”

“Of course I do, but…”

“You have never backed down from something just because it looked hard, have you? Why do it now?” she interrupted.

Leo remained silent. The truth was he hadn’t expected Elise’s reasons to be this sound. Maybe she did grow up while they weren’t looking after all. 

“Don’t be sad, Leo. We’ll see each other again soon, I’m sure of it! If there is someone who can convince Xander to see the truth, it’s you.”

Leo highly doubted it. No one ever listened to him lately.

Realizing there was nothing he could say to make Elise change her mind, he followed her back to the others. “If something happens to her…” he said to Corrin.

Corrin looked back at him deadly serious. “I won’t let anything happen to her, I swear.”

Leo nodded and he, Niles and Odin were escorted out of the portal and given back their horses. Naturally, Effie and Arthur had stayed behind to keep protecting Elise in her new purpose.

Prince Takumi gave him back Brynhildr without a word and Leo took it, grateful. He knew the other was probably feeling his pain and he had no intention of talking with him in that state.

With Odin and Niles at his sides, and with a heavier heart than the day before, Leo warped back to Nohr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have always wondered what would have happened if Azura had given the crystal to Leo sooner in the game because it would have probably changed the story quite a bit lol
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> You can find me on twitter at @arghenthia !


	6. Chapter 6

A few days passed since the meeting with Prince Leo, days in which Takumi had to get used to the fact that they were actually going to recruit Nohrians in their army. He knew, theoretically, that it was going to happen, but now that the moment had come he didn’t know how to feel about it. He couldn't help but look at the three of them with suspicion, although they didn't give him any reason to make him believe they were scheming something. 

The one that worried him the most was the armoured knight, Effie. He had seen her help out in the camp, witnessing her inhuman strength, and he was convinced that she could probably break a man’s neck with her bare hands just by squeezing it. She also ate so much, as if she planned to starve them all by finishing all their supplies. “What do they feed knights in Nohr to make them that strong?” Hinata had commented one evening, not without a hint of admiration, as Effie raised two enormous boxes that usually took two men each to carry. 

Takumi didn't know, but he was glad that he was not on cooking duty for several weeks. 

Although scary, Takumi had to admit that Effie was proving herself very useful both in the camp and on the battlefield. Arthur however… Takumi was really asking himself if all the messes he caused were really because of his dire luck or if it was some kind of goofy sabotage. No one could be so unlucky to accidentally let a sword fall on another sword, make them produce a spark and almost set fire to the entire armoury, right? Not even Setsuna, his sister’s retainer, managed to reach these levels of absurdity. 

Corrin apparently didn't mind having him around all the time, but Takumi tried to stay the farthest away from him as he could, to avoid be involved in one of his accidents.

And then, of course, there was Princess Elise. She was exactly how Corrin had described her: cheerful, even to a fault, and always bringing a good mood wherever she went. He would also say she was incredibly spoiled, but he kept that thought for himself. She had a way to always make people bend to her wishes that Takumi didn't get a grasp of yet. That was a problem because he was never able to shoo her away when he became the target of her attentions since she simply didn't give up. Only Oboro was able to make her desist, proving the effectiveness of her scary face once again.

Sakura, however, seemed to enjoy Princess Elise’s company a lot, so Takumi tried not to be too rude with his sister’s new friend. There weren’t many people of Sakura’s age in the army, nor many people whose company she could enjoy. It took a lot of effort to get past Sakura’s shyness and fleeing nature, but Princess Elise surely didn’t let those discourage her. Every time Takumi saw them together, drinking tea or having fun in other ways, he couldn't help but be happy for his sister. 

More than once he surprised himself thinking that maybe Corrin was right and that not all Nohrians were bad people after all. It was only logical, not all Hoshidians were good people either. Certainly, it was hard to keep on hating someone after you get to know them, even for someone as stubborn as himself. 

That train of thoughts always brought him to Prince Leo. The anguish he had felt had calmed down, but he could constantly feel that the other wasn't alright. He had the feeling that the more this connection existed, the more he would have found it hard to despise him and that fact made him angry. He wanted to have a choice on the matter, not being forced to get to know Prince Leo’s struggles and emotions this way. It wasn't alright to peer so intimately in each other’s heart.

The thought that the Nohrian could also see through him sent chills down his spine. He tried so hard to conceal his struggles from everyone, he couldn’t bear to see them discovered by someone who he didn't trust. What if he decided to use them against him?

He was thinking about it on that morning while he trained with his Fujin Yumi. He was glad that he was able to perform at his best again after fully recovering from his injuries, but the training didn't manage to get those bad thoughts out of his mind. He was still dwelling on them when he got back to his room to change before lunch. He opened the door and got in without thinking, but an unfamiliar view welcomed him. Initially he thought he must have opened the wrong door, but that room was completely different from all the ones he had seen in Corrin’s castle. In the dim light coming from a crack in the heavy curtains, he could barely distinguish a wooden desk, covered with books, a big wardrobe, warm tapestries on the floor and a sumptuous bed with candid sheets. 

He was wondering why all that looked oddly familiar when it hit him. “Oh no,” he murmured to himself, just as a lazy rustle of sheets came from the bed.

Instinctively, Takumi went for the door. He didn't remember to have closed it, but he found with horror that it was locked. 

The noise of the door shaking was deafening in the absolute silence of the room and of course it completely woke up the person whose room he was in. 

“Niles…?” Prince Leo asked, uncertain, still half asleep.

Takumi was petrified. He hoped the other went back to sleep or that someone took him away from there just as Ryoma had done the first time that had happened, but he wasn't that lucky. 

Not receiving a reply, Prince Leo must have thought there was an intruder, which was very close to the truth in fact. Takumi felt his hair stand on end as all Prince Leo’s senses suddenly went on full alert. 

“Wai-“ he started, but he didn't have time to finish the sentence.

Prince Leo rolled on the bed and fell on the floor behind it pulling all the sheets down with him. That scene would have probably looked comical in another situation, but Takumi understood that he was trying to take cover from the menace while preparing a counter-attack. 

The curtains opened wide, blinding him. He trew himself on the floor just in time to avoid a spell and hid on the other side of the bed. “Stop, stop! It’s me!” he screamed.

Prince Leo stilled and Takumi tentatively peeked over the bed to find that the other was looking back at him with wide eyes. He felt Prince Leo’s fear give way to exasperation. “Oh for the love of the Gods, you can enter my room now?” he cursed, then sighed, “I almost had an heart attack.”  
In that moment Niles irrupted into the room, a dagger ready in his hand. “Milord, is everything alright? I heard a commotion.”

Prince Leo got up from behind the bed, laying his tome on the bedside table. He looked at Takumi, who was standing too and eyeing the dagger Niles was holding with concern. “You mean, you don't see him?” he said, pointing a finger at him.

Niles looked at the spot without comprehending. “Who?”

Prince Leo closed his eyes and massaged his temples. “It’s too early in the morning for this.”

“It’s almost lunch time,” objected Takumi.

The other ignored him. “Prince Takumi is here.”

“Wait you told him?!” 

“Of course I told him. I needed someone to help me with this mess.”

Takumi pointed an accusatory finger at Niles’ face. “That man tied me to a tree and had fun torturing me while I was defenceless.”

“Yes, right after you almost killed me.”

“Why do I have a feeling he doesn't like me,” Niles intervened. 

“He’s still angry at you because you tied him up.”

Niles chuckled. “We did have fun together.”

Takumi was about to yell at him that nothing of that had been fun when Prince Leo anticipated him. “Just leave us, Niles. I’m fine.”

Niles bowed his head and closed the door, leaving them alone. 

Now that the situation had calmed down, Takumi took a better look at Prince Leo. Without his headband, his hair fell messily all over his face in a very bad case of bed hair. He wore a long shirt and pants that Takumi didn't know how to call. He assumed they were some sort of bed clothes and he realized in that moment how intimate the situation actually was. He looked away, embarrassed. “So, who else did you tell?”

“Just my retainers. You can tell yours too if you want. I trust they’re loyal to you just as mine are to me.”

Takumi had considered it, but he had a feeling it wouldn't have ended well. “My retainers are not used to all this weird magical stuff like yours. They would insist it’s your doing and not be of much help.”

“If you say so.”

They remained in silence for a long moment, then Takumi decided to address the situation. “Prince Leo…”

Prince Leo let out a high-pitched laugh at that. “You’ve been into my head, into my room and you’ve seen me in my bed clothes. I think we are way past formalities here, wouldn't you agree?”

From his tone, Takumi realized he was just as uncomfortable as himself despite looking calm on the outside. He also did have a point. Maybe getting acquainted would lessen the embarrassment coming from that forced connection. After all, if everything went as Corrin and Azura had hoped, they were going to be allies soon. 

“Leo, then. This sounds stupid, but I didn't intend to break into your room for what’s worth.”

Leo sighed. “I know, I know.”

“I hope you don't greet all your visitors this way.”

“Only the ones that sneak up on me while I sleep,” said Leo, but he had a strange look in his eyes that Takumi couldn't decipher. 

Now that he thought about it, Leo’s reaction had been exaggerated to say the least. On the wall behind him, where his head was supposed to be when Leo cast that spell, there was now a large burned hole in the tapestries. Takumi probably would have tried to figure out who the intruder was before straight up going for killing them. Was he really so afraid that someone might kill him in his sleep? 

“How did you make it happen anyway?” asked Leo, bringing Takumi’s attention back to the topic at hand.

“I don’t know. I was going back to my room and I found myself here.”

“So, we have to assume this could happen any time.”

“That’s terrible!” Takumi exclaimed, horrified. 

“Yes, but at least no one can see us but each other so we’re safe from that aspect at least. I wonder if…” he started, then moved closer and extended his hand at him.

Takumi understood his intentions and grabbed his hand. It was not exactly the same as really touching another person. Takumi felt the heat of Leo’s skin, the softness of his hand, but it was perceiving it more than feeling it. It made sense since those sensations must have been all a product of his mind.

“Interesting,” Leo commented.

“The more I know about this the more confused I get.”

“Well, the fact that we can see each other has bright side: we can confront our discoveries and speed up the process to get rid of this nuisance.”

Takumi had to admit it was true. “If we manage to control it that is.”

Leo nodded and took back his hand. “Do you remember what you were thinking about when you arrived here?”

“I was...” thinking about you, he finished in his mind. “I was thinking about our situation,” he said instead. 

Leo nodded again. “I suspected it. That's probably what triggered it. We can control it with time.”

“Easier said than done!” said Takumi, who was beginning to feel annoyed by that know-it-all attitude. “So how do I go back, genius?”

“Wait, first…” he hesitated, “How is Elise doing?”

That question caught Takumi off-guard, although he shouldn't have been surprised about it. “She’s doing fine. She’s a literal calamity to anyone that crosses her way, me included.”

A small smile escaped Leo’s lips. “That’s Elise for you.”

“My little sister Sakura and she seem to get along too.”

Leo crossed his arms and nodded, satisfied. “Thank you.”

Takumi shrugged to say it was nothing. “Did you use the crystal?”

“Not yet. I’ve been doing some research first, along with all the rest. Activating an ancient magic artefact without preparation could be catastrophic.”

“You’re the expert.”

Silence fell between them, so Takumi thought that maybe if he concentrated intensely on wanting to get home it’d be enough to interrupt the connection. It turned out it wasn't that easy. “I tried to think about getting back but it didn't work,” he said.

“Maybe you just didn't concentrate hard enough.”

“I tried my best!” he replied, piqued.

“Alright, alright, no need to heat up, jeez. I have another idea. Close your eyes and describe your room to me, try to picture it in your head.”

Takumi closed his eyes and immediately felt very stupid. “Are you sure this…”

“This is how they teach up warp spells before we can master them. It will work if you apply seriously,” Leo interrupted.

Takumi closed his eyes again and this time did what Leo had told him. He started describing the furniture, the colour of the walls, what books he had on the bedside-table and so on, until he ran out of things to say. Growing impatient for not feeling anything different, he opened his eyes. “See, it doesn't…” he started, but Leo was no longer there, and he was at Corrin’s castle again. 

“It works after all,” he said to himself, relieved. At least he had a way to escape the connection.

He decided to not dwell on what happened and went back to what he was doing. He was most surely late for lunch and the others must have noticed his absence by now. He needed to make up some excuse.

He was starting to take off his dirty clothes when a voice interrupted him. “Yes, that’s exactly what triggers it.”

Takumi jumped back like a cat before realizing it was Leo, this time in his own room. “You did it on purpose,” he blurted. 

“I wanted to see if it worked just as we thought. It does by the way.”

Of course the little genius already figured it all out. He remembered how before he had thought that it was going to be hard to despise him the more they got to know each other, well he was wrong. This was one Nohrian he would not end up changing his mind on. Not a chance. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

The other’s lips curved in an irritating little grin and Takumi pondered if it was time to find out if he could physically hurt him through their connection. 

“Anyway, moving on important matters, I’m sure you have things to do, just like me. We should decide a moment in which we can meet and confront our discoveries. A moment in which there is no risk of being interrupted or worse, to arise suspicions.”

“So now you’re asking me on a secret date,” Takumi said, before he could stop himself.

He immediately felt embarrassed, but the sentence made the other’s cheeks redden too and that was enough to make it worth it. He simply could not let him toy with him without retaliate.

“No one said anything about a date.”

“Good, because I wouldn't go on a date with you even if you were the last person in the entire world.”

“The sentiment is mutual. You are truly insufferable.”

“Me? You’ve been an arrogant prick since the first time we met! Always showing how much I don't know and how clever you are. You-”

They were interrupted by a knocking on the door. “Lord Takumi, can I enter?” asked Oboro.

Takumi glanced at the door, for a moment forgetting that even if she came in she wouldn't have been able to see Leo. “Yes, come in,” he said in the end.

Oboro opened the door and looked around the room. “Strange,” she whispered.

“What is strange?”

“I was sure I heard you talking with someone.”

Takumi gulped. “I wasn't talking to anyone, just changing my clothes for lunch. You must have imagined it.”

Oboro didn't look convinced but decided to not question it. “I came looking for you because you didn't turn up at lunch. I saved some soup and some rice for you.”

Takumi noticed in that moment the tray she was carrying. He had no idea he had been away so long that he had completely missed lunch. “That was very thoughtful of you, thank you, Oboro. You can leave it on the desk.”

She did as she was asked. “It’s not like you to be this late. Did something happen?”

“Oh, no I just… I was so concentrated on my training I lost sight of the time, that’s all.”

“You are a horrible liar,” said Leo half amused and half exasperated. 

Takumi had to bite the inside of his cheek to resist the urge to tell him to shut up.

Oboro looked at him, concerned. “Are you feeling alright, Lord Takumi? Did you catch a fever?”

“No, I’m fine. There is nothing wrong with me, so don’t worry about it. I just need to change out of these clothes now so can you please leave?”

He didn't want to be harsh with her but he really needed her to leave so that Leo could leave too, soon after. Having to deal all morning with that situation made him exhausted and annoyed.

“Sure. I will be close by if you need me,” said Oboro.

Takumi watched her exiting the room, hoping he didn't offend her.

“I told you it’s better to decide a moment to meet, especially for avoiding this kind of inconveniences.”

“Tomorrow evening?”

Leo was taken aback by his prompt reply. “Works for me.”

“Good. Now get out of my room.”

Surprisingly enough, Leo did as he had asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> Twitter: @arghenthia


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO SORRY FOR THE DELAY (AGAIN) BUT IM BACK!!  
> I bring another very long chapter also full of plot stuff and hopefully feelings so I hope it makes up for the wait!!
> 
> I borrowed one of my favourite scenes from the manga for this, I hope it wont be confusing for people who didn't read it but I just had to include it since it fit in so well :3

When Takumi had told Leo to meet him the following evening, he certainly wasn’t expecting to have to fight a whole battle earlier that same day.

Corrin’s army had set sail that morning to cross the sea dividing them from Cheve, where they had heard there was a chance they could find Ryoma. Of course, they could not board the entire army unless they had a fleet, so most of Corrin’s forces had to remain in her castle while only a few were divided in the four ships at their disposal. Being Takumi able to move comfortably on the deck thanks to the power of the Fujin Yumi, it was decided that he had to be among the ones on board.

Takumi had just gotten bored of looking at the sea, thinking that he wouldn’t have had much to do in the following days but keep staring at that blue expanse, when the landscape had suddenly turned from water to thick, white ice. The Nohrians and the Ice Tribe had decided to ambush them when they were most vulnerable, divided and unable to efficiently call for reinforcements. They had been easy prey for their wyverns, especially since they couldn’t count on many Pegasus knights to at least hinder their movements.

Luckily, stopping their ships didn’t only cause them to remain separate to their enemies’ advantage, but it also had the positive effect of letting the soldiers fight as if they were on solid ground, making their movements steady and their blows precise. This was no little detail for the other archers, as the responsibility of pushing back the wyverns fell primary on their arrows and Takumi could certainly not bear it all by himself.

In the midst of battle, Takumi had no time for worrying about anything else outside of the deck of the ship he was on. Even keeping watch on his allies to see if they needed help was hard, he could hardly locate them past the enemies that Hinata and Oboro were protecting him from while he tended to the ones coming from the sky. The enemies just kept coming and he didn’t know if it was because Corrin was on that particular ship too or if it was just the same everywhere else. He was thinking that they could not keep going on forever and that they were going to be overpowered eventually, when suddenly the dragon veins turned the tides of battle in their favour.

As soon as the ice platforms connecting the ships rose, the enemies started to come forward to prevent them from advancing. Corrin’s forces, in return, pushed them back to break free from the narrow deck of the ship that had been turned into a trap. It was then that Takumi got distracted for a moment by Effie, charging past him to run over all the enemies on her way, pushing them down on the frozen sea below. It was only a brief moment, but it was enough for him to miss the wyvern that was diving towards him with its claws ready. He threw himself to the side, as he felt the claws tear his sleeve and graze his skin. A heartbeat later he was back on his feet, his bow ready to fire at the beast, that was turning to dive on him again. 

He realized in that moment that he was facing Princess Camilla herself and that he had to be careful not to kill her. He adjusted his aim from the rider to the soft belly of the beast, where he knew its heart resided, but just as he was about to shoot, he was violently pushed to the side. His arrow flew past the wyvern, barely scratching its hard scales. He turned his head just in time to catch a faint glimpse of blond hair before realizing that he was probably just a moment away from being torn apart by Princess Camilla’s mount. 

Before the beast could reach him, Corrin dashed past him in dragon form, blocking the wyvern’s path and saving his life. Relief washed over him as he stood again, nodding his thanks to his saviour. 

If he had had a little more time to think about what had happened, he would have probably been overcome by rage, but the battle was not won yet. He had to run ahead with the others to seize the enemies’ ship before they found the way to counterattack. 

Eventually, they managed to prevail, and Corrin decided that Princess Camilla and her retainers were to join their army, which came to no one’s surprise. 

Takumi didn’t trust their new allies, which also surprised no one. This time, though, he felt like he had more than the simple distrust towards Nohrians to make him suspicious. Aside from the fact that they had tried to kill each other just a moment before, it was mainly Princess Camilla’s attitude that made him uneasy. Her velvety way of speaking and her sweet and doting nature were only the surface, her ruthless side hiding underneath. For a brief moment after Corrin had saved him from her assault, he had met eyes with the woman and he had felt that she would have killed him without a second thought if she hadn’t been stopped. He couldn’t just forget that, could he? Not with the feeling that, if necessity arose, she would have been ready to do it again. 

He had seen something similar in Leo’s eyes when they had fought. It was not like Takumi had not intended to kill, but there was something different in them that took a while for him to decipher. There was a cold, disinterested approach, as if death was not something worth giving more than one distracted thought. 

In Hoshido, warriors were taught to value peace, that taking lives, even enemy lives, was sometimes necessary but always sad. Takumi may not have been the best at putting those teachings into practice, but it still felt them after every battle, after the heat of the fighting had cooled down and the rage towards the enemy had dissipated. 

He couldn’t stop thinking that King Garon, the war-hungry ruler of Nohr, that had sent Corrin to Hoshido just to murder their queen and that had invaded their country without a reason, had simply taught their children another, opposite, way of thinking about war. That really made him wonder if there could ever be peace between two cultures so different from each other.

***

After the battle, Takumi was brought back to Corrin’s castle so that he could recover from his wounds, which was in part a fortune. In fact, annoyed as he was at the Nohrian when he had made the proposition, he had not considered that, were it not for the battle, he would have had to meet Leo on the ship. That would have not only been dangerous because anyone could walk on him any time, but it would have also given away their position and he still didn’t trust Leo enough with that kind of information. 

As he waited for the other to show up, Takumi finally had all the time to be furious about Leo’s little intervention that had almost got him killed. He paced around the room for what seemed like hours until Leo finally appeared. 

“What did you think you were doing?” Takumi blurted out as soon as he saw him.

“Good evening to you too,” said Leo, sarcastically. He gave a quick look at Takumi’s bandaged head and arm, the first injured from the fall caused by his own push and the other from the wyvern’s claws. “Now I see why my head has been hurting,” he added, purposely ignoring the matter.

“You pushed me and I was almost eaten by a wyvern,” Takumi insisted.

“Wyverns don’t eat humans, they don’t like the taste.”

Takumi advanced towards him until Leo was forced to take a step back. “Stop avoiding the subject.”

Leo’s lips tightened. “You were about to shoot my sister.”

“I,” specified Takumi, “was about to shoot her wyvern.”

“You could have missed and hit her instead.”

“I never miss my target.”

Takumi was not the type to brag, he was too insecure about his own abilities to do it, but one thing he was sure of was that he was damn good at archery, especially since the Fujin Yumi did most of the work for him anyway. 

Leo sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you harm. I felt that you were in danger and came to see what was happening. I saw you were aiming at her and acted without thinking. I’m sure you would have done the same if I was aiming at your sister, even if my target was her pegasus.”

That was something Takumi couldn’t deny. He slowly backed off and relaxed his stance. “Alright, just don’t do it ever again. Your sister is fine by the way in case you wanted to ask me.”

“I did, actually. I assume she joined you.”

“She said King Garon would have killed her if she got back after failing so I suppose she didn’t have much choice.”

Leo’s expression turned grave at those words, but he said nothing. 

“Anyway,” said Takumi before the silence between them could become embarrassing, “now that everything else is settled we should go back to the problem we had to discuss.”

Leo nodded and looked around with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. Takumi had felt the same the first time he had been there. There were so many books he had never even heard of that had remained hidden from their world on those shelves. Some of them were in a language he had never seen before, written in small round characters and elegant lines. Takumi had assumed it had to be Vallite, the language from Azura’s land that only pronouncing the name of could make you disappear. 

Leo went to the nearest shelf to browse the titles of the books as he spoke. “I searched for all types of magical connections, curses, spells and artefacts that could cause this condition of ours and… Well, the short version is that I found nothing. There are spells that connect people during dreams, or ways to talk to someone who is far away. You can experience others’ emotions even, but doing all those together and without us having any part in it? That’s simply unbelievable. Besides, apparently this connection existed way before we even met so what is more likely is that it’s something innate within us, nothing to do with magic at all.”

“That is bad news, right?”

“If it was any kind of spell, I would be almost certain that there had to be a way to break it but since it isn’t…”

Takumi, for the first time, considered the possibility that he was to be stuck with Leo for his entire life and shuddered. He honestly couldn’t think of something worse to happen to anyone. 

“What did you find?” asked Leo.

Takumi shrugged. “Not much, just an old legend I’m not sure has anything to do with all this at all.”

“Show me.”

Takumi picked up a book from a nearby shelf and hesitantly handed it to Leo.

“Why are you blushing?” asked the Nohrian, feeling the same embarrassment heating up his own cheeks. 

“It’s just that it’s embarrassing. I wouldn’t have considered it if we had any other option.”

Leo opened the book, read the title of the first chapter and looked back at him. “Soulmates? For real?”

“That’s all I managed to find!”

Leo stared at him for a few moments then went back to the book. Takumi waited, as Leo’s eyes followed the rows of words of the first pages. At some point he closed the book almost angrily, making him jump. “This can’t be it,” he simply said.

“And why is that?”

“The book says soulmates are people who share many similarities and we are nothing alike.”

Takumi didn’t want to assert they had anything in common either, but the urge to contradict Leo was stronger. “How would you even know? You know nothing about me and I certainly know nothing about you.”

“We can remedy to that here and now.”

Half an hour later, after the totally unexpected discovery that they were, in fact, pretty much alike, they sat in silence at one of the tables in the room, not knowing what to do with this new fact. 

Leo was busying himself with reading more of the book, wishing he had never asked for that confirmation, while Takumi was just looking nowhere in particular, thinking that Corrin had been so right when she told him they were similar and hating it.

Leo closed the book again. “I still think this is pretty much a fairy tale. The book doesn’t mention seeing each other when we’re not together or being able to feel each other physically. It’s all pretty farfetched,” he said, trying to sound convincing. 

“Yes, I knew I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s fine, it was better than nothing as you said.”

Takumi nodded as an awkward silence fell on them again. 

Both of them were trying to tell themselves that they wished they didn’t know how similar they were, that it was only going to make them even more uneasy around each other from then on, but the truth was that they were just curious now. You can’t find a person who shares your interests and your tastes to such a deep level and just let it go. 

Takumi thought that in another situation they could have been great friends just as Corrin has said and a small voice in his head told him: but why can’t you be still?

After no one talked for what felt like days, Leo was the first one to give in. “So this, uh, show-gee…”

***

Takumi had no idea how or when exactly it happened but, at some point in the following days, Leo’s company not only had ceased to be annoying, but had become even enjoyable.

It was only natural that after they had explained the rules of chess and shogi to each other, they were both impatient to try them. 

Takumi knew there was a shogi set in the library because, the first time he had been in Corrin’s Castle, after his wounds had allowed him to walk around, he had found it himself while exploring the place. What he didn’t know until that evening was that the set right next to it, whose elegantly carved pieces, although visibly old and used, had caught his eyes at the time, was used to play chess. 

There were also other boxes with all the necessary to play games none of them knew but that they studied anyway out of curiosity without figuring them out. Takumi had picked up a consumed wooden piece that looked like someone singing, thinking it was fascinating and sad to hold in his hands a piece of the culture of a lost kingdom. He wondered if Azura had any idea of what those games were, but decided not to ask because thinking of her homeland must have been painful for her. Some mysteries were meant to remain unsolved. 

Takumi wasn’t surprised to see that it only took a few tries for Leo to grasp the rules of shogi, nor was Leo when Takumi did the same with chess. Takumi suspected that it wouldn’t have taken them long to become good opponents, which was a refreshing thought since there was no one in the castle who was able to compete with him at shogi. 

They had played for hours, more than Takumi wanted to admit to himself, completely forgetting why they met there in the first place. It was only after Takumi went back to his room that he had realized how absurd that situation was. What had gotten into him to suddenly deciding to befriend someone who had despised until that very evening? They had even decided to meet again the following evening when it was clear that they wouldn’t have anything new to report. He needed to control himself and remember that Leo was still the same arrogant prick that had almost got him killed twice. That was certainly not going to change just because he was good at strategy games. 

It was useless.

The next evening was spent talking about books and philosophy, the day after Leo asked him how his Fujin Yumi worked and seemed genuinely fascinated by his explanation, telling him in exchange how Brynhildr’s magic worked. Takumi kept repeating to himself that he should have minded that the real goal of their meeting seemed to have changed but, in fact, he didn’t. 

The more they used their connection, the more it seemed less like teleporting into another space and more like existing in both places at the same time. Takumi still had trouble controlling it, but most of the times he found he could successfully start the communication at will. He did so on the fifth evening, which was actually the tenth day for him because of the time distortion between Corrin’s castle and the outside world. He found that Leo wasn’t in his castle’s library as usual but in his private room, the one that Takumi had accidentally broken into not so long before. His attention was immediately drawn to the opened box that sat on his desk, with the crystal Azura had given to him still inside, shining in the light of a single candle. 

Leo was examining a thick book that had clearly seen much better days. The leather cover was faded and scratched, the title completely unreadable, and the yellow pages looked like they were about to turn to dust. 

“Ah, Takumi. Just in time. Odin finally got back with the book I was looking for.”

Leo had told him in one of their meetings that finding information on the crystal had proved to be a very complicated task. In fact, he had only found a brief mention about it and about a certain book that might have had more information about it. He couldn’t find said book in Castle Krakenburg’s library and neither could Takumi in Corrin’s castle, so his last hope had been sending Odin to a nearby city, where an old library might have had a copy. Judging from the look of it, that decrepit book must have been buried away in that library for centuries. 

Leo pointed a page to him and he stood next to him to look. “Here it is: the Crystal of V…”

“No!” Takumi screamed before he could finish. “Don’t say it out loud or you’ll die.”

Takumi actually had no idea if mentioning the name without knowing what you were talking about produced the same effects as talking about the forbidden realm consciously, but it was definitely better not to take that risk. 

Leo had turned pale at his words and had looked at him for a long moment with wide eyes. He then laid his eyes on the page again, looking at that word as you would regard a poisonous snake. “Is this why Azura didn’t tell me what this was about herself?”

Takumi nodded.

“It’s some sort of curse?”

Takumi nodded again.

“What kind of creature has the power to curse words…” he wondered.

“A very powerful one as far as I’m told.”

Leo narrowed his eyes at that. “How come you know everything?”

“Azura took me and Corrin to… a special place, where she could talk about it,” Takumi said, not daring adding any detail to it in fear of being cursed. “Please don’t ask me to tell you more.”

Leo seemed to understand his fear and didn’t insist. He remained in silence for some long moments, thinking. “If this enemy has the power to prevent people from speaking about them it’s not surprising no one knows they even exist,” he said. “In any case, the crystal seems to do exactly what Azura said and I already checked for any curse that might be present on it, so there is no reason why I shouldn’t use it.”

“You still don’t trust us.”

“I didn’t say this. Azura said only a powerful mage or Corrin could use it and, assuming Corrin didn’t need to use it since Azura told her the truth directly, it means no one ever used it. That means it could have been cursed before getting into Azura’s hands without her knowing about it.”

Takumi stared at him. “Aren’t you a bit paranoid?”

“You’d be too in my place.”

Takumi was about to ask what he meant with that, but Leo had already taken the crystal out of the box to lay it on the desk. He raised his hands to keep them lifted just above the artefact and closed his eyes. Takumi felt the waves of magic all around them just before he was dragged with Leo in what the crystal was about to show him.

***

He opened his eyes, although he didn’t remember to have closed them, and recognized, not without surprise, that they were in the Hoshidian throne room. 

After the initial bewilderment, Takumi noted something was off, actually a lot was. There were countless signs of a furious battle where now the calm of death laid. The decorative banners were torn apart, the beautifully crafted windows shredded, the precious tatami on the floor burned and ragged. There was blood everywhere, staining the carpet that lead to the throne, the walls and pooling under countless corpses. 

A sudden wave of panic joined his own rising fear and he looked at Leo, who was as pale as a sheet. He followed his stare and understood. On the ground, lying among the other dead, Takumi recognize one by one all the Nohrian royal children, included Leo himself. He took an instinctive step forward when he saw Corrin was among them too.

“It’s just a vision, nothing of this is real,” Leo said, more to himself than to Takumi. He took his eyes off that dreadful sight to look at him instead, probably because he was the only real presence in the room aside from him and he needed reassurance of it. “It’s not real,” he repeated, his voice trembling.

Takumi was too shook himself to find words of comfort for the other. The sight of that familiar place, usually so bright and connected with so many good memories, turned into the site of a slaughter had made him quiver with terror. “What exactly did you ask the crystal to show you?” he asked.

“What Azura told me to ask: the truth about my father.”

Takumi forced himself to look around and he spotted someone seated on the throne, someone that looked undeniably Nohrian and also like the only alive person in the room. He pointed him to Leo. 

“It’s him,” said Leo.

“We should…”

Leo nodded and, with what looked like an enormous effort, he straightened his back and moved one step forward, then another, until he was walking towards the figure on the throne. 

It was impossible to avoid the corpses because they were scattered everywhere, so they had to carefully make their way through. It was with joy and worry that Takumi saw there was not a single Hoshidian among them. He had nightmares about his siblings die in the past and he really didn’t need a vivid image of them that he would never be able to forget to make them even more terrible. At the same time seeing all those Nohrians and no Hoshidians in the very heart of his kingdom made him wonder what had happened to his siblings and why they weren’t there to defend the throne. And on top of that who killed all the Nohrians, even the Royals and Corrin herself? Was it the man on the throne that they were approaching? Was it Anankos? Maybe there was no distinction between the two possibilities. 

Leo advanced without looking at the floor, but Takumi saw his steps become uncertain and almost come to a stop when he had to pass his own body and the ones of his retainers lying nearby. “It’s not real,” he heard him repeat. 

Takumi was grateful of that reminder because him too had seen many people he personally knew among them, from Corrin’s servants, Felicia and Jakob, to Silas and Elise’s retainers. If it was shocking sight for him, for Leo it must have been ten times worse, and yet he was advancing with a determination that he would never have had if he was in his place. He wished he knew what was going on exactly in his head, but their emotions were so intertwined in that moment he couldn’t say where his own ended and where Leo’s began. 

King Garon lift his head when they approached, as if he had heard them. They both halted and almost made a step back when they saw how monstrous the face of the king looked. Takumi had never seen the Nohrian king before, but he was pretty sure no human should be made of grey slime.

“This can’t be…” he heard Leo murmur. 

A storm of emotion hit him all at once: panic, sorrow, disbelief, repulsion. Leo looked like he was about to faint or to throw up. He stared at what used to be his father without understanding. 

“Who’s there?” said the monster, with a guttural voice that was all but human. 

None of them replied. Takumi was about to tell Leo to cut off the vision already when suddenly several eyes cut open on the king’s chest, covered in slime. Those purple eyes looked directly at them, not past them, as if they could actually see them. 

Takumi felt a chill down his spine and Leo was abruptly shaken from his state of astonishment. He immediately cut off the flux of magic that was alimenting the spell, bringing them back to reality.

***

For a moment, all they could do was trying to catch their breaths. Leo had collapsed on his desk chair, his face partially covered by one hand while the other gripped the armchair, while Takumi had somehow reached the opposite wall and was using it for support.

Before Takumi had the time to properly process most of what had just happened, Leo suddenly got up and dashed for the door. He changed his mind halfway through and quickly turned to approach the desk again. Takumi noticed the crystal had turned to pieces only when Leo hurriedly stacked them inside the box and hid it under his bed.

“Where are you going?” Takumi asked when Leo went for the door again. He didn’t reply, so he ran to catch up with him and followed him through the corridors until they reached an impressive portal guarded by two men. 

A revolting smell of rotten meat had been intensifying the more they had closed in on the room, a smell befitting the goriest of battlefields, certainly not the halls of a castle.

“I need to see my father,” said Leo to the nearest guard, his voice cold so that none of his current emotions transpired in it.

“My apologies, Prince Leo, but we have orders not to let anyone pass. King Garon wasn’t feeling well this morning and all the audiences were cancelled.” 

“It’s a matter of the utmost urgency, let me pass.”

The guard tried again to explain that he could not do that, but Leo’s patience was running thin. He interrupted the man’s apologies by pushing past him and opening door himself, running inside before then men could stop him. The guards moved one step in his direction but then hesitated. If that was because they feared King Garon, because they didn’t want to get in their prince’s way or simply because the smell of death was even more intense past the door, Takumi couldn’t say.

Takumi wanted to reach out to Leo, to stop whatever he was trying to do because he feared his intentions and their possible consequences. Leo seemed the kind of person that always pondered on the outcomes of his actions, but who could say what he would do in a such a state of agitation. Takumi knew he surely wouldn’t be in his right mind in his place. 

With the massacre in the Hoshidian throne room still so fresh in his head, he couldn’t help but fear the man that Leo was about to meet. Even if that had been just a vision, King Garon was truly possessed by Anankos and there was no telling what he could do if he found out Leo knew his secret. 

Takumi was about to talk when Leo stopped abruptly at the beginning of a long staircase that lead up to the throne where King Garon sat. For a moment, Takumi saw that monster again in front of his eyes, but then he realized the king had human semblances this time and, luckily, no purple eyes opening on his chest.

“Father,” Leo announced himself, bowing quickly, too agitated to think about formalities. 

King Garon raised his head slightly. “You are not Iago… Who…” he mumbled. 

He was holding his head with his hand as if he was exhausted or in pain. Leo noticed it too and asked, hesitantly, if he was feeling alright and if he could help somehow. 

King Garon didn’t reply. “Who…?” he kept asking on repeat. 

Leo slowly climbed the stairs, quietly, as if he was approaching a wounded animal. “Father, it’s me. Don’t you recognise me?” he asked. His voice was supposed to sound gentle, but it was shrill with pain and fear. Takumi could not tell if seeing his father in that disoriented state was hurting Leo even more than the dreadful monster in the vision. 

The Hoshidian took some steps back from Leo, fear and discomfort battling to prevail inside of him. He felt like he was witnessing something private that he had no right to see. He was peering directly into Leo’s soul in a moment in which he was at his weakest, absolutely unable to hide anything from him. Takumi wished he could interrupt their connection, but in the midst of that storm of emotions he couldn’t focus on anything else but the scene in front of his eyes. 

Leo had at last reached the throne and was standing right in front of King Garon. The old man looked at him for some long moments, no signs of recognition in his hazed eyes, until a light suddenly seemed to cast away the darkness that was enveloping him. His face was completely transfigured. “Ah, it’s you. It’s been a while, huh? Clarissa…” 

Leo was startled by that name. He kept staring at his father’s face, who was now smiling as he finally talked to him, uttering a sequence of disconnected sentences about Leo’s childhood that didn’t make much sense until he grabbed his head with his hands again. 

Leo instinctively moved forward to support the king and it was in that moment that a sorcerer called out to him, interrupting the moment. “Lord Leo?! What are you doing here?”

Leo turned as the newcomer rushed up the stairs followed by a handful of guards. He moved away from his father with a grimace. “Iago,” he spitted, as if the name tasted bad on his tongue. 

“We have received orders from the king himself to not disturb him. You are disobeying a direct command!” said Iago, his voice hysterical.

Takumi anxiously looked at Leo as those words echoed in the big empty room, but Leo didn’t look worried. He was making an enormous effort to recompose himself and, when he talked, his voice had almost his usual imperious tone. “I heard my father was ill and I was worried about his condition, is there something wrong with that?”

Before Iago could respond, a growling filled the space all around them. “What is all this noise…?” King Garon said, with a voice that resembled much more that of the monster than the one he had just talked with barely a moment before.

“King Garon… are you alright?” said Iago hesitantly.

Suddenly, the king jumped from his seat. “Who said you could come near me?!” he roared, raising his arm to hit Leo.

But the blow never got to the target because his gauntlet simply fell off, rolling on the stone pavement and then down the staircase with a deafening clangour. For a moment, everyone stared at the piece of metal rolling away, leaving nothing where King Garon’s arm should have been.

A moment later, King Garon hid his missing limb under his cape and shouted to the guards to take Leo away from his presence. How was it possible that that was the same man that had spoken so fondly to Leo not so long before?

Takumi had no choice but to follow Leo back to his chambers, where for a long time no one spoke. 

Leo had slowly walked to his desk and was now leaning on it, his hands gripping its edges and turning away from Takumi. He was taking long breaths, maybe in an attempt to calm down. 

Takumi paced the room, uneasy, thinking that maybe he should have just tried again to leave Leo alone. It didn’t feel alright though to just leave when Leo was in such a state, but at the same time he was afraid to speak up because he didn’t know if Leo wanted him there at all. Maybe his presence was just making him uncomfortable and all he wanted was to be left alone, in that case it was better to just leave quietly…

Adding to all that, there was also the fact that Takumi himself didn’t want to be alone, not after all he had seen in that short visit. He could still feel those monstrous eyes staring at him, watching him, and the smell of blood and all the corpses. It had been so real, too real…

Before he could decide what to do, it was Leo who spoke, probably reasoning to himself out loud. “I don’t understand,” he mumbled. “In the vision he was a monster but in reality… How could his arm just… and that smell…?”

“I think I might explain that.”

Leo turned to stare at him, as if he was surprised of his presence in the room. He looked exhausted and overly-excited at the same time.

Takumi gulped at that look but forced the words out. “I’m not an expert but my mother explained that the Hoshidian throne has the power to uncover what was hidden and restore the body and mind of the one who sits on it. For example, it restored Corrin’s memories of her childhood in Hoshido. My guess is that it probably showed us what your father really looks like.”

“So, you’re saying that a spell is holding him together but that he’s actually just a… corpse?”

Takumi had not thought about it in those terms, but if that was how Leo’s mind, clearly more knowledgeable in these matters than him, decided to translate his words, who was him to say that wasn’t the truth. “Maybe.”

“And yet…”

Takumi didn’t know what Leo was about to say, but after some minutes had passed it was clear that he wasn’t going to continue. He didn’t want to force him, but there was something he really needed to know. “Do you think what we saw was the future?” he asked. 

“If it was, it must be just one possible future out of all the possible outcomes.”

“So, we can still avoid it?”

Leo rolled his eyes at him in annoyance. “I certainly will do my best not to die with all my siblings in a pool of blood.”

Takumi decided that Leo was definitely not liking his questions and that it was better to just shut up. And yet, in the silence that followed, another urgent question formed in his mind. “I know this sounds ridiculous and that you’ll probably laugh at me but you don’t think that monster really saw us, right? It was all just a dream and that’s totally not possible.”

He was expecting a sharp reply from Leo, actually he was hoping he would have dismissed his stupid paranoid fears, but Leo remained silent. It was only after several moments that he replied: “I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takumi voice: *Freeze frame* yep and that's when things started to go to sh*t 
> 
> I think you probably got this but Clarissa is the name I gave to Leo's mother for no reason other that I like it LOL
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are highly appreciated as always <3
> 
> Twitter: @arghenthia


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